Angels, Devils and Demigods
by Stormwreckin
Summary: Life has finally calmed down for Percy Jackson. After countless wars and quests for the gods the demigod son of Poseidon was ready for some well earned peace. But a demigods life isn't meant for peace. In a not so stunning turn of events Percy's services are once more required from Olympus but in a way he never imagined. Across the ocean a new story and a certain devil await him.
1. Copywrite Disclaimer

Copywrite Disclaimer

This disclaimer is for the entirety of this story. No copywrite infringement is intended and this fanfiction is for the sole purpose of the pleasure of others. While Greek Mythology is open for everyone to use the characters of Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus and Trials of Apollo and how they are portrayed are owned by Rick Riordan and Disney Hyperion Books. The characters and plot of High School DxD are owned by Ichiei Ishibumi, while the anime licenses and plot belong to studio TNK (and also now studio Passione).

Summary

Life has finally calmed down for Percy Jackson. After countless wars and quests for the gods the demigod son of Poseidon was ready for some well earned peace. But a demigods life isn't meant for peace. In a not so stunning turn of events Percy's services are once more required from Olympus but in a way he never imagined. Across the ocean a new story and a certain devil await him.


	2. Author Preface

Summary

Life has finally calmed down for Percy Jackson. After countless wars and quests for the gods the demigod son of Poseidon was ready for some well earned peace. But a demigods life isn't meant for peace. In a not so stunning turn of events Percy's services are once more required from Olympus but in a way he never imagined. Across the ocean a new story and a certain devil await him.

Author Preface

Please read before beginning this story. I will address questions and concerns in a final author's note when I have completed the story but this will be the main author's note until then.

Hello everyone and welcome to my story of Percy Jackson and High School DxD. I have to say that when I first joined Fanfiction a little more than a year ago I didn't actually think I would publish a story, much less one like this. However, like all things in life, a small idea just wouldn't stay contained in my brain and suddenly the next thing I know I'm actually writing this down and getting ready to publish it here. A bit nerve-wracking if I'm honest but I decided that I wanted to share my love for both Percy Jackson and High School DxD with you all.

I'd like to take a moment to outline some things that I expect and I think you will expect from me and this story. First, yes this is my first story on here and there will be mistakes. I've honestly tried to self-review the Hades out this and I've made numerous changes to the wording. However, like all things, I can't pick up on every mistake and there may be (read will be) some spelling or grammar mistakes at some point. They happen. Professional writers and publishers don't pick up on every mistake and they even sometimes get published. If they are truly egregious then PM to let me know and I'll be happy to change them. However, if it doesn't ruin the flow of the story or you don't pick up on it initially I ask that you make a brief comment about it in a review and if I agree with you I'll gladly go and change it when I have a moment. I don't plan on engaging a beta at this time as if I feel that my chapter really needs another pair of eyes I like to go to my sister, who is a journalist and some actually qualified to review my work. That may change as time passes but currently that's where I stand.

Following off of that is my second point: when to expect my updates. I will be frank here and say that I don't have a true set for updates. I have written a couple of chapters of this already and I'd like to stay ahead if possible so as to keep things move forward. That said my goal is for a chapter to be released once every two or three weeks on either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. It's not a perfect system but I find that if I set a deadline for myself then I'm more inclined to get the chapters written and posted. However, I do have an actual life where I work and my family/friends so I will not swear on the Styx to anything. You'll have to just assume it's one of those unspoken agreements that I'll try to abide by and hope I don't pull an Antaeus/Luke and break my agreement afterwards.

Next off is the length of chapters. I prefer stories that have some real depth to them, where the author digs into the characters and the reader immerses himself/herself in the plot. Because of that I like stories that really provide detailed descriptions and worldbuilding, much like a professional writer would do. This essentially means that if you are publishing chapters that have less than 2,000 words you aren't necessarily my cup of tea. There are of course some stories on here that are still good with lower chapter word counts and I've like them when I've found them. But in my experience, they are few and far between and as such I find myself looking and reading stories that around over 4,000 words in chapter length. With that in mind I will attempt to maintain the same discipline in my story. All of my chapter lengths right now are over 5,000 words with some extending much more than that. It's my idea that you should try to publish chapters that give good detail and advance the story. As long as you aren't just saying "first this happened, then this happened, then this after that, etc…" then I would call that a successful chapter regardless of length. I aim to do that here and hope you agree with my assessment.

Fourthly is related to allusions of other authors and works. This authors note is intended to be a blank statement that addresses all those concerns. I am not intending any infringement on my owner or publishers work in regards to said allusion. All rights and property are owned by the respective parties and my brief connection to it is merely to provide a harmless fun atmosphere for my story.

Next is in regard to the rating. As you may have noticed already this story will be receiving a rating of M as it will deal with Mature content. There will be swearing and references, both implicitly implied and explicitly stated, to sex. I would hope most people are responsible enough to acknowledge this fact and maintain the proper discourse. Before anyone even asks no I don't plan on doing Lemons at this time. As the story grows and evolves I'm not ruling it out but in my experience, some of the better stories (on here in fanfiction and in real life) are written with the actual sexual acts implied. It leaves the storytelling to the author while giving the reader the freedom to imagine what happened exactly as they wanted. A much more powerful method of telling a story in my opinion.

Now we come to my final point: what I expect from you the reader. The primary purpose of writing this story is to provide some entertainment and enjoyment for everyone. As long as you are happy with the story and pleased with my writing that's what I mainly care about. This does not mean that I will change the story because you don't like the plot or the pairing I intend or how I portrayed a particular character. You're welcome to criticize in a review but I have this story mainly mapped out the way I want it and no amount of complaining or whining is going to change my mind. I will take serious construction criticisms seriously as I'd never be able to grow as a writer without that but complaining that the story sounds better with character A better paired with character B isn't going to get anything changed.

As for reviews, everyone is welcomed and encouraged to review. However, as I make a note of in my account I understand that reviewing isn't always possible with our busy lives and there won't be any hard feelings if you don't review. The only thing I ask when you review is that you give me real depth to your review. I'm not saying writing a novella about why this chapter was the greatest but saying that this was a good chapter because you enjoyed X, Y, or Z gives me something that I can understand. Or if you didn't like a chapter please tell me why you didn't enjoy it. Not every chapter is enjoyable as I'm sure we would all like action and good storytelling but explaining to me that the chapter wasn't as good because it didn't advance the plot or you didn't like how character C and D interacted is a much better review than just saying "your story sux n00b go jump off a bridge". If you choose to troll and flame then you are welcome to it but just know that I don't really care about those kinds of reviews and if I deem then excess I will remove the review so as not to subject the other reviewers to that kind of behavior.

With this all said I think we are ready to jump into the story. I want to take a brief moment to thank everyone who took the time to actually read this and I want to thank you again in advance for taking the time to read my story. I've spent quite some time trying to plan it out and I'm proud of what I have so far. It's my opinion that you should never publish/submit your work if you can't say you are truly 100% proud of it and I can guarantee you all that will be the case with this. I hope you all can remain patient with me as we journey through this together and I look forward to your reviews. With that said, welcome once more to the story of a demigod who is changing everything around him. Welcome to…

Angels, Devils and Demigods


	3. Chapter 1: The Candidate

Chapter 1: The Candidate

Twelve figures sat around in a semi-circle discussing and arguing with heated passion. Tempers were rising with each spoken word and waves of power were roaring off their bodies in anticipation of the fight that was surely to break out. Most were enraptured by the conversation but a few of the figures were busy ignoring the ongoing discussion. A larger man with a protruding stomach and red flushed cheeks was deeply engrossed in a wine magazine with the featured story concerning this season's new Pinot Noir wine that combined the classic Vitis Vinifera red wine grapes with a secret ingredient that was boosting sales of the drink. Sitting in a chair of marble that had vines growing all around it, his lavender eyes were skimming the article with fervor while he consistently brought a drink of Diet Coke to his lips. Far to the left of him, near the middle of the semi-circle, an acutely tanned woman was sitting in a throne of golden marble that had depictions of farmers harvesting their crops and planting seeds. The woman had dark brown hair and was wearing a green dress that went down to her ankles but while the man was reading his magazine the woman was quietly mumbling to herself. Words and phrases like "wheat" and "they need more cereal" could be heard by the few sitting around her. One other man was disregarding the talking going on around him. He too was a larger fellow but while the first man clearly had fat this man was bulk and muscle. His broad shoulders and large back sat comfortably in a seat that looked like a Laz-e-boy reclining chair but the man's fingers were moving at a rapid pace constantly assembling and disassembling some kind of cube shaped device that no one could tell what it would do. Occasionally a fire would sprout from the thick beard that covered his chin but he was too busy focusing on his creation to douse the flames. They seemed unlikely to hurt him anyway.

While these three were oblivious to all else going on around them, another three individuals were talking louder and louder until they were practically screaming in each other's faces. The first was a woman in a long, flowing chiton style white dress and her attitude screamed of arrogance of the highest kind. She had her glossy black hair tied up in the bun on the back of her head and her grey eyes were ablaze with a fury few could have stood up against. She gripped her pure white marbled throne with both hands clenched and white-knuckled while looking like she was attempting to reign her true thoughts on the subject in. Her most notable debate partner sat across from her in the semi-circle of chairs and he looked furious. The man was originally seated in a high-class fisherman's chair that looked extremely comfortable with sleek tan leather covering the metal frame of the chair and had to cup holders on the armrests but now he was standing tall and yelling at the man next to him. The standing man was wearing what would be dubbed his usual wear as he had on khaki's and a flamboyant Hawaiian shirt with a lei of bright pink flowers resting on his neck. While the man's clothes might have represented a more laid-back attitude his body language was anything but as his face was brighter red than a Stop sign and he was waving and crossing his arms back and forth in a motion clearly showing he was against whatever was being discussed.

The last individual was seated in a grey marble throne that showed depictions of clouds rolling over empty fields, lightning striking down humans and monsters alike, and a crown right in the middle of the chair. He sat right at the top of the semi-circle so all present would have to address him first and everyone wanting a word with the man would have to crane their necks to face him. Clearly the most arrogant of all individuals present, his normally regal face was scrunched up in absolute fury at the other man rejecting whatever proposal was being discussed and his body seemed to shoot off random sparks of electricity whenever his red face became even more flushed.

"Enough of this!" roared the man in the middle. He looked towards the standing man and indicated he needed to take a seat so the conversation could continue.

"Poseidon, brother, I understand your qualms but if this will allow us to increase our power I say we do this."

The now seated man looked towards his brother and violently shook his head once more.

"No Zeus. We barely survived the first war not to mention the second one we literally just finished less than two months ago. If this proposal does not work, we would be faced with yet a third war in as many years and that is something we could not recover from." Poseidon said to his brother. "Let us wait and recover some strength before we make our proposal so we can go from a position of strength."

The grey-eyed woman spoke up again. "How many times do I have to say that even in our weakened state we are still stronger than them. We are Gods while the only one they have has faded to Lady Chaos's realm. Now is the time for an alliance before somebody else comes along. Once the other pantheons realize that their God has gone then they will immediately try to snatch them up, either through peaceful means or war. We must pursue this opportunity now while we can!" She finished with conviction in her tone that brokered no more room for discussion. Of course, that didn't stop Poseidon from arguing further.

"Why do we even need them? We are strong and powerful on our own without them. I'm surprised you are even considering this brother. You, our King, who claims we should seek help from a lessor pantheon to better our strength and numbers."

The man named Zeus stood up again and clenched his hands together in a tight fist. Poseidon had attacked his pride as King of the Gods claiming they were weak and misconstruing what Zeus was saying in the first place. It was a typical strategy from the Hawaiian clad male and was one of the best ways to distract the conversation. Unfortunately, the grey-eyed woman knew that all too well and jumped to Zeus's rescue before he could even say anything.

"That is not what my father said Poseidon and you know it. Seems you've let the barnacles grow from your beard into your ears and it's now affecting your hearing. I never thought you'd be one to back down from power just because you felt you were weak. Personally, I've never been stronger." As the woman said her last sentence she drew herself up in an even more regal position, puffing out her chest and straightening her back further. She removed her right hand from her chair and summoned a golden spear from nowhere and rested it on her throne.

Zeus calmed slightly from his daughter's words and smirked at his brother.

"Athena is right Poseidon. We are not weak though I will admit things could be a bit better. But an opportunity like this might not come around again for another few millennia and we must strike while the iron is hot." At the phrasing of Zeus's determination, the man who was working on the cube immediately perked up slightly with the reference to metal working. However, realizing that it was simply talk he resumed working on his project.

It was at this point that the remaining six members joined in on the debate. A man with tight fitting clothes, sky blue eyes, and a dazzling white smile opened his mouth to speak his thought when a woman sitting directly opposite him spoke first. She was wearing a tight, silver hunting outfit that provided flexibility and maneuverability in her movements but whereas the man opposite her had an ever-present smile on his face and shone bright gold her face remained neutral of facial expressions and she gave off a silvery glow.

"I agree with my sister Athena" said goddess spoke. "We must seize this opportunity if we want to grow further. Waiting and hoping for other pantheon's to not figure out that a chance is open is foolish. Plus, new territory will mean new monsters for me and my hunters to exterminate." She smiled a small smile at her final words.

The golden man jumped in immediately after the silver goddess spoke to relay his thoughts.

"I agree with my little Sis. Arty and Athena usually know what they're talking about and I'm inclined to go with them. If they say forming an alliance is the right thing to do, then we should do it."

The silver goddess scowled at her brother's words and glared at the smiling god. "Apollo I'm your OLDER sister. How many times do I have to tell you that before you get it. And STOP CALLING ME ARTY!" she screamed at him.

Before Apollo could respond the man seated next to him cut him off. He was a muscular fellow and his body was riddled with cuts and scars showing that he has been in many fights and loves a good brawl. He wore dark sunglasses to hide burning flames for eyes but his excitement for the current debate was causing his power to flare.

"Another war? I'm always down for another war. Let's bring these pansies out and I'll show them not to mess with Ares the God of War!"

Athena scowled at Ares words. "The idea is to form an alliance with them not start a war you overgrown muscle head. Maybe if you spent less time getting skewered by my spear and more time actually listening then you'd know we prefer a peaceful coup of power rather than attacking."

Ares jumped up from his marbled throne that was emitting flares of red heat of power and spoke back to Athena. "I can take you on any time, any place. Just say the words and I'll be happy to beat the ichor out of you."

Athena, sighing a heavy sigh, looked like she had had this conversation with Ares many times before. "Any time and any place huh? And that is why you will lose you fool. All brawn and no brain make you an easy opponent. Next time think before you speak."

Before Ares could retort back to the grey-eyed goddess another female quickly spoke up. This woman could only be described as the epitome of beauty and sex-appeal regardless of sexual orientation from the gazer. She wore a pure-white chiton that seemed to reflect a sense of naivety and innocence if one looked only at her body but upon gazing up towards the goddess's face one would see the hidden subtleties of a mature and experienced lover eager to share in the joys of love-making. The other eight gods and goddess that were actually paying attention stopped what they were doing in shock at discovering the woman was actually paying attention to the conversation for once.

"Ares, my dear, please calm yourself. While I'm sure we could handle another war if it were to break out I think it would be best if we let the alliance try first. Let's let love and diplomacy try before we let loose the attack dogs hmm? Isn't that right Athena?"

Said goddess was completely caught off guard at being defended by the Goddess of Love but she quickly composed herself and resumed speaking.

"Ye… Yes, you are right Aphrodite. Diplomacy is the best way to secure the alliance. Only if we cannot secure it through peaceful means should we consider attacking. They may be weaker than us but that does not mean they don't have power. While it is unlikely they could destroy us they could still do some damage that is avoidable. I'm not sure where you're getting the whole love theme from though. A standard alliance should do."

"Oh, but I disagree with you there Athena." Aphrodite spoke again. Artemis just stared at her with jaw completely open in utter surprise that the goddess of love was still managing to even put coherent and actually useful words together still. "Artemis dear, you'll catch flies in the pretty little O shaped mouth of yours. You'd best close it if you don't want to find yourself with a nice enjoyable surprise in there. Then again it certainly would be fun" Aphrodite said with a light, airy chuckle at the Huntress's expense. Artemis just closed her mouth and turned her wide eyes into a heated glare directed towards the goddess.

"As I was saying Athena, in order to form an alliance such as we are proposing we need to offer something a bit more concrete than our words. Something that will bind our two pantheons together forever."

Athena looked at Aphrodite in a bit of confusion before she finally realized what the Beauty was proposing. Again, Athena looked shocked at what was being suggested but brought her hand up to her chin in serious consideration of the idea. The males in the room seemed completely lost at what was being discussed so one finally spoke up. The last man was wearing a track suit with running shoes that had wings etched into the heel. His sandy blonde hair was a bit windblown as if he'd been running errands all day and he had a mischievous smile on his face.

"What exactly are you suggesting Aphrodite?" the man spoke.

The last goddess seated next to the King of the Gods rose from her throne with a bright smile on her face. The woman looked even more regal than Athena with an arrogance on her face that reflected she was too busy with duties and didn't have time for the problems of the peasants. It was a bit surprising to see a smile adorn the Queenly figure considering she spent much of her time trying to track down her husband, the King, and prevent him from having his numerous affairs.

The woman at last spoke. "I do believe that Aphrodite was proposing a marriage pact. I approve of this idea. We should aim for a pact with the heavenly figures considering the other two factions would probably cheat on our choice. And we all know how disrespectful and insulting it is to have an unfaithful spouse" the goddess said looking directly at Zeus with a slight glare. The King looked distinctly uncomfortable at the unspoken accusations but quickly regained composure.

"Athena," the King said, "what is the likely of a marriage pact? Is it something we should pursue as my wife suggests?"

"Hold your seahorses a minute here" Poseidon quickly jumped in. "We haven't even agreed that we should pursue an alliance let alone bind our pantheons together so permanently."

Athena once again stood up to address her fellow gods and goddesses. "These factions lack their God completely. To pursue any kind of alliance other than temporary would be a waste of time and resources. We could present it to them as temporary in an effort to get them more agreeable with us but the end result should be complete assimilation of their pantheon to ours. With that said, I think that the only way they would agree to an alliance is with a marriage pact as has been suggested. It would show a willingness to compromise and any children born of such a union would be half and half making it easier to influence them to our pantheon and exposing younger generations to our side. Father I think a vote is in order now."

Zeus looked towards his daughter once more and nodded his head. "I agree Athena. We will do two votes. First for whether we should pursue this alliance and second if we should decide on a marriage pact." Zeus looked at all the gods and goddesses in the circle and spoke in a loud voice. "First vote: Do you think we should pursue an alliance with this foreign pantheon? All in favor say Aye."

A chorus of ayes were spoken throughout the room ringing in everyone's ears. Athena and Zeus's voices were the loudest echoing off the chamber like room. "Everyone opposed say Nay" Zeus spoke again.

This time a single voice could be heard saying Nay. Poseidon tried booming his voice to cause everyone to think there were more votes for nay than just his but his efforts fell flat. Athena merely smirked at Poseidon while nodding her head up and down in victory as if she knew this outcome was inevitable.

"It has been decided" Zeus spoke again. He added more authority to his declaration this time and said "the council has decided. A union between the Pantheons shall be attempted. Now, to the second vote. Should we pursue a marriage pact in order to form the alliance." The women were all looking around excitedly while some of the men had apprehensive looks on their faces. Clearly none of the men wanted to force anyone into marriage in fear that they would be the unlucky one chosen. Zeus cleared his throat once more to get everyone's attention on him again and spoke.

"All those in favor of a marriage pact say aye." Every one of the women said aye; even the goddess mumbling to herself about cereal said aye. From the men, only Apollo and Zeus said Aye as Apollo had a faraway look in his eyes as if seeing something not entirely there and Zeus was already married so he didn't care. If a marriage would help obtain the alliance and get more power for him he would sacrifice one unlucky soul to get it.

"All those against said proposal say nay." Zeus continued. Ares, Poseidon, and the man in the track suit all said nay as Ares and the track suit guy worried they'd be chosen while Poseidon was against the alliance altogether in the first place.

"Then it is decided. Both proposals pass. We will pursue a marriage pact with the other pantheon in an effort to secure a permanent alliance with them. The council has spoken!" With Zeus's last words he lifted his hand up and brought it down on his throne like a gavel causing thunder to boom throughout the Council's room. "Now to decide who we should send for the pact. Any ideas anyone?"

It was silent for a few minutes while nobody wanted to make a suggestion in fear that their names would be picked. Then after the silence grew to be unbearable Artemis spoke up.

"I think we should send someone who is not a god. This would show too much respect to the foreign factions and could possible incline them to think we are weak. Not the message we should be sending."

Collectively, sighs could be heard throughout the room as the fear of being chosen was lifted from the gods and goddesses' hearts. Most of the male gods nodded their heads vigorously as if acknowledging this was the greatest suggestion the council has every had while the unmarried goddess breathed sighs of relief at not being forced into a situation they didn't want.

Athena once more spoke up to continue the discussion. "Yes I agree with Artemis. Offering a god, even a minor one, would relay a message of desperation and we want to avoid that. With that said we still want to send someone powerful who can hold his or her own and represent the council well. The way it currently stands I can see a choice between nine candidates. The Seven, the Son of Hades, and the Daughter of Bellona. Nobody else is old enough or ready enough to do this."

Many of the gods and goddesses looked pensive about Athena's statement while Poseidon just narrowed his eyes towards the Wisdom Goddess. He looked as if he had a bad feeling about how this conversation was going to turn.

Zeus once again spoke. "My son cannot be chosen for the task at hand. While I would trust him with the job he currently is too busy trying to unite the Greeks and Romans together as Pontifex Maximus. That should take priority over uniting us and the foreign pantheon."

Hera rolled her eyes at the bold statement of her husband but she couldn't deny that self-unification was important if they wanted complete assimilation between them and the foreign pantheon. She took the opportunity to address the silence with her own ideas.

"We will want to send someone completely loyal to Olympus so as not call into question if they stand with us or the factions in the event war does break out. With that said I believe that rules out Nico di Angelo, Hazel Levesque, and Leo Valdez as Hades is not an Olympian and has been known to make war with us in the past while Leo Valdez is currently still searching for that Titaness Nymph Calypso. Leo's loyalties would lie with the Titaness and should she ever feel like she deserves her rightful place amongst us we don't want her to get ideas of rebellion and war as a method of achieving her goals. In addition to the bad blood between us and Hades I believe Nico's and Hazel's demeanor would turn off most potential allies making an alliance difficult to achieve."

Aphrodite then chimed in with her two cents as well. "Also considering Nico enjoys the company of his fellow gentlemen I don't think a forced marriage pact with a woman would work well for him." Some of the men looked at Aphrodite with incredulous looks on their faces at not realizing the son of Hades was on team men. It wasn't so much that Nico was gay as many of the gods had indulged in an affair or two with the same sex before that caught them off guard but rather that they had no clue he was gay in the first place.

Athena resumed the conversation covering the last few members as options. "So it boils down to Piper McLean, Frank Zhang, Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arrellano, my own daughter Annabeth Chase, and Percy Jackson. Here is a quick summary for everyone." Athena switched to a more lecturing tone as she began giving the breakdown of each remaining candidate.

"First is Piper McLean, Daughter of Aphrodite. Piper was one of the seven and is blessed with a beautiful voice and the power of Charmspeak. Though she isn't the most powerful demigod she has a way with words and is quick to create compromises and is an excellent diplomat. Her fighting skills have improved since first discovering she was a demigod but by most estimates she is still weak and is a liability on the battlefield. She is currently dating Jason Grace, our Pontifex Maximus, and lives in New Rome with the Legion. I do not believe she would be a good choice in that while she is a smooth talker she can be easily overwhelmed by her enemies and often requires the assistance of stronger, better fighting demigods."

The gods nodded their heads in agreement with Athena's analysis of the demigoddess and it seemed most had ruled her out as a choice.

"Next we have Frank Zhang. A son of Mars, Frank is Praetor to the Twelfth Legion and a leader among the people of New Rome. As one of the Seven Frank is seen as a strong, capable leader who can handle most situations and will make the most dutiful choice. As Praetor, his loyalties to New Rome and Olympus as almost unquestionable. Frank is regarded as a decent warrior though he prefers long range combat, often viewed as more cowardly for Romans," Ares quickly shifted form to Mars at hearing Athena speak badly of his son and growled towards said goddess. However, Athena just ignored the god and continued speaking. "As his father is Mars, and Mars being the Patron of Rome, this would show some respect to the foreign pantheon. Frank is currently dating Hazel Levesque and as Praetor makes his home in New Rome. Though he is a capable choice I believe there are better options as choosing Frank will cause some political strife in New Rome and he has much to improve upon as far as fighting and leading is concerned. That said, as the boyfriend of Hazel Levesque and the fact we have ruled out Hazel I feel that forcing Frank to break up with his girlfriend would create more friction between Olympus and the Underworld."

Mars frowned at Athena's wrapping up but he nodded his head in agreement with most of what the goddess claimed. Frank was a good option though until he heard the remaining choices no one could be sure as to the best choice.

"Next is Reyna Avila Ramirez-Arrellano, Daughter of Bellona. Much like Frank Reyna's parent is a Patron of Rome and as such she has the right level of respect to be at least considered as a candidate though it is not nearly as much as any of the others. Bellona being a minor goddess dilutes the respectability of the pact a bit which could prove detrimental. However, Reyna has been Praetor of the Twelfth Legion for a few years now and is one of the most capable fighters in either camp. She is easily on par in fighting skills as compared to either Jason, Nico, or Percy and she has the mind of a strategist. Though maybe not the greatest of leaders she is still clearly a leader in her own right and has earned the respect of her peers and some gods, though they are mainly minor. She is the Praetor of New Rome and has led the Legion through both the Second Titanomachy and the Second Gigantomachy. Reyna is currently single and lives with the Legion in New Rome. Unfortunately for Reyna she is the daughter of a minor goddess which dilutes the power and respectability she possesses. If she were chosen we'd have the same problem as Frank except where Reyna can handle the Legion on her own as she's proven she can in the past, we cannot claim the same of Frank. In fact, I'd venture to say that there would be even greater strife within New Rome if we choose Reyna as our candidate."

Nobody said anything concerning Reyna as most seemed to be lost in thought concerning the demigoddess. She was indeed powerful but was it enough for the marriage pact. Most shook their heads while in deep thought.

Athena, unperturbed by the quiet once again began speaking. "Next, we have my own daughter, Annabeth Chase. Annabeth is viewed as one of the unofficial leaders of Camp Half-Blood and was one of the Seven. Though she doesn't have any special power she is my smartest child and I venture to say the smartest demigod in either camp. Much like Reyna Annabeth is an excellent fighter being on par with Jason, Nico, and Percy having defeated all of them at least once in their time together. Annabeth is an excellent strategist and tactician and has been on numerous quests. Often viewed as the brains of any operation Annabeth was partially responsible for the defense of Manhattan against Kronos and helped devise the plan against Gaea. She is currently single and goes to Camp Half-Blood though she is currently at her private school here in New York City. The few downsides to my daughter are that she is very prideful which can be used against her and as I mentioned before her only real tool is her brain. While that is exceptionally useful it might not be viewed as proper for the foreign powers who want something more tangible. Also, she is the current Architect of Olympus meaning that should we choose her as a candidate we would have to finish remodeling Olympus ourselves and not create an Olympus as glorious as it could be."

While many of the gods and goddesses had nodded to the beginning of Athena's analysis they all quickly changed to shaking their heads at the prospect of losing their Architect. She was honestly one of the best they'd seen and everyone had very pleased with her work so far. To have to finish renovations themselves was not something they wanted to do.

For the final time, Athena took a deep breath and began speaking. "And lastly we have Percy Jackson, the Son of Poseidon." Athena nodded her head slightly to Poseidon as if acknowledging his presence. She then gave him another slight smirk that went unnoticed by everyone but him. Poseidon growled loudly but the other gods just looked at Athena for her last analysis. "Perseus Jackson is the epitome of what a hero is supposed to be. Kind, caring, forgiving, he always defends his friends and loved ones and there isn't anything he wouldn't do for them. You can't find a more loyal demigod as Loyalty is his fatal flaw. And he is loyal to Olympus. We would have nothing to fear from him should war break out between our pantheons. As far as power goes it can be argued that Perseus is the strongest demigod of this generation with Jason and maybe Thalia being the only other ones who could potentially compare. However, knowing their pasts I would say that Percy is indeed the strongest. In addition to the raw power he possesses, we also know that he has been gifted a Sacred Gear though we don't know which one specifically. Considering the world we want him to enter, having a Sacred Gear will immediately boost his respect and power further helping our cause."

Poseidon looked towards the Wisdom Goddess a bit shocked by what he was hearing. The confusion on his face was noticeable as it looked almost as he expected Athena to insult his son but hearing the praise was surprising.

"If you want to talk about respect I can't honestly think of anyone who has achieved the same level of respect of Perseus in a long, long time. He is the Savior of Olympus twice over. He is a Hero of Rome. He has defeated foes such as Kronos and Gaea along with legendary creatures such as the Nemean Lion, the Minotaur, and even the Titan Hyperion. Everyone in this Throne room agreed to bestow godhood on the demigod which goes to show that everyone in this room respects him and his power. He asked for amnesty and forgiveness for the minor gods and goddesses and he is beloved by them. Perseus is viewed as a leader in both Camp Half-Blood and the Camp Jupiter and his word carries weight in both camps. He led the Defense of Manhattan against Kronos and the Titan forces for almost a week, he orchestrated the death and banishment of Typhon and he bathed in the River Styx. As a member of the Seven he traveled to Rome and Greece and even traversed the horrors of Tartarus while protecting my daughter. He made friends with both a giant and a titan and convinced them to help him escape the pit and even convinced the son of Hermes, Luke Castellan, to redeem himself to which he earned Elysium at the end. He has retrieved the Helm of Hades, the Master bolt of my father, and the Golden Fleece. There are too many titles and honors to bestow upon Perseus that show the respect he has."

While Athena was speaking, she kept emphasizing certain parts of her analysis to show what was most important. Many of the gods and goddesses started nodding their heads enthusiastically as if this was the best choice. Poseidon looked around the Throne room and frowned at the looks everyone had on their face. He looked upset if this was the route they were going to go.

"Personality wise Perseus is almost a perfect fit for what we want in a candidate. He will be loyal to Olympus, he is laid back and won't seek out glory unnecessarily, and he only fights when he has to. The only true downside to Perseus is that he is rebellious and doesn't always take orders well so convincing him might be difficult. However, I think I know just how to overcome that. Currently, Percy is single and leads Camp Half-Blood but he is at school at the moment. I don't think we could find a better candidate than Percy. He is strong, powerful, loyal, well-respected, and an inspiring figure to his fellow demigods."

Athena took a deep breath as she finished discussing the options. She sat back down on the chair and resumed her regal posture looking her fellow gods in the eyes. Nodding her head to Zeus she prepared herself to vote.

"Well we have heard of the choices from Athena," Zeus beings speaking. "I will now ask each and every one of you who you are voting for. Whoever achieves the highest vote total will be the council's choice. Let's begin. Dionysus, who do you think should be our choice?"

The red cheeked flushed man who was reading about wine before indicated that he didn't care who was selected. "I'll just vote the same way as you father. Whichever is the best choice" the man named Dionysus said. Zeus simply nodded his head in response.

Next up was the goddess who was mumbling to herself. She seemed to have composed herself enough to vote. "Well Demeter" Zeus said, "who do you think we should send?"

The goddess named Demeter looked towards her King and said one name simply: "Percy Jackson."

Zeus nodded his head and turned to the other side of the semi-circle to look towards the god fiddling with his cube. "Hephaestus, have you decided whom you want to send as a candidate?"

Hephaestus stopped messing with his invention momentarily to look towards the King of the Gods. Drawing in a deep breath Hephaestus spoke; "Is my son Leo an option? If so I choose him. Whatever this candidate business is about sounds like good news."

The gods and goddesses who were actually paying attention looked at the Forge god incredulously before looking at each other. Realizing that no one else was going to vote for Leo Valdez they all silently agreed to let it go and continue with the voting.

"Aphrodite. Do you have a choice in candidate?" Zeus boldly asked.

Aphrodite merely nodded her head towards the King before shifting her gaze quickly to Poseidon. "I have felt a new love beginning to bloom though the ones involved do not know of it yet. It will be a glorious love with passion and fire and romance though it will definitely come as a surprise to all involved. At the center of this new love is my choice for a candidate: Percy Jackson."

Poseidon nodded his head slightly at first acknowledging that it would be good for his son to find a new love. Ever since that spawn of Athena broke up with Percy he hasn't been doing well. There was definitely no loyalty in her. Though he really prayed that it wouldn't be his son that was chosen as Poseidon prayed for a union between his son and another nobleman's daughter of his sea-court.

Apollo looked across the circle towards his sister and both nodded their heads in agreement. They would both continue with current choice

"Father," Apollo began, "I also believe that Percy is the best choice. I have glimpsed slightly into the future and I see difficult times for the world ahead. Achieving this alliance will be important in ensuring our strength continues."

"I also believe Jackson is the correct choice." Artemis cut in. "Besides it will be good to have a male be forced to have to give up their lives instead of fair maidens for a change."

"Jackson might be a pain in the ass but he still is the most respected option" Mars quickly jumps in before Zeus could ask his opinion. The King scowled at his son but Mars just shrugged his shoulders and nodded his head. Before anyone else could interrupt the proceedings again Zeus quickly asked Hermes what his choice would be.

"Well father I suppose Percy is the best option though I do not like forcing it upon him. It would go smoother if we got his assistance rather than coercing him to."

Zeus looked as if he pondered that though momentarily before nodding his head and turning to his eldest daughter Athena.

"I think based on your analysis it was pretty obvious who your choice would be but I must ask daughter. Who is your choice for candidate?"

Athena nodded her head once more before speaking. "Yes my Lord I agree it was obvious who my choice would be. As much as I don't like the hero I have come to respect him greatly. Percy will do well for us in this task."

Poseidon was silent as Athena finished speaking. He wondered why everyone wanted to force his son into this task. Had he not already sacrificed enough for his family. He was finally obtaining a little peace and now they were going to rip it from him again.

"No." That one word seeped through the council like water through sand. It was silent as everyone looked to see what the God of the Seas was going to do or say. Instead of speaking Poseidon let the silence linger. Zeus took the opportunity to look towards Hera to see what her choice would be.

The Queen of the Gods spoke after a few more minutes seeing that Poseidon wasn't going to talk again. "Percy Jackson is exactly the hero we need in this instance. He will help us achieve our goal and this marriage proposal is exactly what the demigod needs to learn the proper order of things."

Zeus nodded one last time before speaking for his own vote. "And I too will be voting for my nephew though I don't like it. He will help us achieve this alliance and we will grow stronger. It seems that we have a consensus. We need to inform young Perseus immedia-"

Zeus was immediately cut off by the glowing sea-green form of Poseidon standing 20 feet tall holding his Trident in his right hand with the points pointed upwards. He looked furious and turned his anger towards all who voted for his son.

"Has my son not done enough for us?!" Poseidon screamed. "Has he not sacrificed and bled and killed enough. He is a hero and you would deny him the right to choose his own mate!? Even we haven't forced marriage on anyone in our pantheon in over a millennium and you want to bring the tradition back now. All so you can feel more powerful. Pathetic! Every one of you is pathetic. My son has done more than enough to earn his right to choose what he wants with his life now. I will not stand by and let the council abide by this decision. Should you force my son into this option I will view it as a sign of war and I will kill every one of you."

Poseidon was huffing and puffing with fury at the end of his tirade before he tried to regain his composure. His aura was flaring considerably and the Throne room had taken on an oceanic atmosphere to it causing many of the gods and goddess to lean back. Zeus too had a look of fury on his face as his brother was corrupting HIS throne room and stood up with the Master Bolt in his hand ready to strike. Just as he was about to speak Athena quickly address Poseidon.

"Such a shame you have such little faith in your own son. I'm not surprised though. I mean he is one of the dumber demigods. It's no wonder my daughter left his stupid ass. He missed too much school and had fallen too far behind, he'll never be on the same page as her. I can see it was a mistake to vote for the spawn of the sea. I change my vote to my own daughter Annabeth."

If Poseidon looked furious before he was downright deadly now. Rather than speaking loudly Poseidon's voice dropped to a bare whisper forcing every god and goddess to have to strain to hear what he said.

"You dare insult my son. You dare compare my son, the Hero of Olympus, to that pathetic, weak daughter of yours. If it wasn't for Percy I have no doubt your daughter would have died long ago, or even worse turned traitor with Hermes son. My son can do anything. He IS the most powerful demigod of this generation and he IS the greatest leader either Camp Half-Blood or Camp Jupiter has had. You dare remove your vote from my son to that coward of a daughter. A daughter that relied on Percy to save her from Tartarus and the House of Nyx. My son, the man who has defeated Kronos and Gaea, and Hyperion, and Polybotes, and Otis and Ephialtes, and assisted in the killing of Alcyoneus. My son deserves better than any praise you could ever offer."

Aphrodite saw the tension between Poseidon and now Zeus and Athena and decided she needed to convince the Sea God to allow Percy to go. It was his destiny after all. His new loves would be waiting for him.

"Poseidon please stop and listen to me for a minute." Poseidon turned his gaze to the goddess of love and she could see the swirling storm of the seas in those irises. Somewhere in the ocean right now was a Level 5 hurricane ripping apart the water and whatever poor souls got caught up in its path.

"Please you must let Percy become the candidate. His true loves are in the foreign pantheon and I can already feel the love forming. Do you understand what that means Poseidon? Normally two people don't develop that kind of connection until after a few years of knowing each other or at the very least meeting each other for the first time. Your son, somebody who is more than worthy of finding true love, is already calling out to his partners from across the oceans just waiting to unite. You must allow… no you must encourage this. This is exactly what we need to secure the alliance. Please Poseidon, think of your son's happiness. I promise you that his love life will work out for him."

Aphrodite's rant had once more caused the Olympian council to look towards the goddess in shock. They knew how passionate Aphrodite was about her love domain but to actually hear her discuss it so openly and desperately brought a new level of understanding to the other gods and goddesses. Maybe Aphrodite wasn't quite the ditz that everyone always thought she was. If she truly felt this much about love it would be hard to deny her request.

Poseidon looked like he was trying really hard to deny it though. His face was scrunch up staring at the pleading face of the Love Goddess before he gave a heavy defeated sigh.

"Fine. For the sake of my son's happiness I will support this decision and attempt to persuade him. However, the final decision is his. I will not blackmail him into doing this."

The council thought on Poseidon's words before nodding their heads in agreement. Hermes wanted the same thing for the Bastard Prince of the Sea and with two gods backing the claim it would be hard to dispute. Zeus looked towards his messenger before speaking in a loud voice.

"Hermes," the track suit guy looked towards Zeus before nodding his head in acknowledgement. He knew what was coming. "Summon Perseus here. It's time we told him of his new job. I sure hope he likes the title of Husband."

Hermes flashed out to look for his charge quickly. Everyone in the throne room began quiet conversations with their neighbors discussing how to address their Hero. The only one to ignore everyone else was the goddess of wisdom herself. Instead she turned her grey-eyes to look across the circle towards her uncle before smirking once more and uttering one last phrase before flashing out herself to begin the recruitment of Percy Jackson.

"Just like taking candy from a baby."


	4. Chapter 2: An Offer He Can't Refuse

Chapter 2: An Offer He Can't Refuse

It was perhaps one of the most ordinary days Percy Jackson had ever experienced in his short 17 years of living. Seated in the backrow of a classroom surrounded by quiet students writing notes from the whiteboard, Percy merely tapped his black ballpoint pen against his knee eagerly awaiting the bell to announce the ending of school. His teacher, an older woman in her late forties with black dyed hair and wrinkly skin due to smoking named Mrs. Hamlin, explained prior to the day's lecture that everything written on the board would be on next week's test; hence the scrambling of his classmates to copy every last note down. It all just looked like a bunch of gibberish to the demigod. He could barely read, let alone understand, the words on the board and trying to figure out the math involved just made it worse. On their own, the subjects of English and Math were difficult for him but combining the two together for Chemistry was almost impossible. It got to a point that he couldn't even participate in the labs anymore because his dyslexia kept screwing up the letters.

Ever since he accidentally poured a jar of Cesium, Cs, into a beaker of water instead of the element he was supposed to use, Scandium, Sc, and caused a massive explosion he was banned from handling any more elements. He didn't know the alkaline metal was going to explode and completely corrode the classroom windows. Nonetheless, he was forced to write down all the observations while his partner actually performed the lab. And if they thought his reading skills were bad they were downright flabbergasted when they saw how illegible his writing was.

The worst part of it all was that this was actually a repeat course for Percy. He had already completed half a year's worth of Chemistry last year before he disappeared for eight months, causing the entire school to go crazy with rumors. Disappeared is actually putting it nicely but a more accurate word would be kidnapped. His crazy aunt decided that taking him against his will, scaring his friends, family, and then girlfriend in the process, was the best way to get him to fight in another war for her. That was of course in addition to erasing his memories to the point he could barely even remember his own name. Needless to say, that when Percy next saw his aunt, and he remembered her, they weren't on the best of terms.

As he was musing about his unfortunate circumstances and past problems Percy couldn't help but feel bitter towards his godly family. After numerous quests to save the world, on at least three separate occasions by his last count, he was finally hoping for some peace with his girlfriend. Him and Annabeth had technically been dating for over a year when the Second Gigantomachy ended but those eight months when his aunt Hera held him in a coma had put a real damper in their relationship. In actuality they had really only been together for about six months and even during that time they were usually doing some kind of tasks for the gods.

Sadly, for Percy, it was during those six months together that Annabeth seemed to realize that he wasn't what she wanted. Though they had been friends for half a decade it was as if Annabeth never actually realized how much trouble Percy had with his schooling. Percy knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed when it came to education but he did have his strong suits and he could hold his own if he was motivated to do so. And while the two were dating Percy was really motivated to try and do well in school to at least hold his own for his girlfriend. But that still wasn't enough for the daughter of Athena and that fact mixed with the problem that he was now a full year behind her due to his kidnapping was enough for her. Since he was too dumb and she would be off to college in New Rome while he struggled with another two years of High School she decided to cut her losses now and break it off. Or at least that was how she put it to him.

So, the girl that Percy literally traveled through Hell for, his best friend for over five years, the woman he honestly thought was would probably marry one day, dumped his stupid ass so she could find someone more her intellectual peer. And if Percy was being honest with himself he was more bitter and angry with her than all the gods combined. It seemed love could turn to hatred quicker than he ever imagined. Children of Athena and Poseidon definitely can't make a relationship work, despite how hard they both tried. So, with anger, bitterness, and unfortunately still a little love buried deep down for Annabeth, Percy let her go and had been trying to move on with his life ever since. It had been a month and a half since they break-up and was now a cool breezy day in the first week of November.

Drawing in a deep breath, Percy looked up to the clock to see the time. While words might have gotten jumbled in his head Percy never had any problems reading numbers. It was just the actual act of doing math that proved difficult for him. Seeing the bell was about to ring and signal the end of the day, Percy quickly gathered his stuff and shoved it in his bag ready to leave. The second the annoying buzzer of a bell went off Percy was up and halfway through the door before anyone else had even put away their notebooks. He weaved and snaked his way through the oncoming traffic of students trying to reach the door to his English teacher. Said teacher also just happened to be his step-father, Paul Blofis. Percy turned the knob once he finally managed to reach the door only to hear voices on the other side.

"It's a great opportunity Paul. I know how much you've always wanted to teach in Japan and this is your chance. Fantastic salary and benefits, eager to learn students, a great house for you and your family; what more could you want? It was everything you've ever dreamed of. And they _chose_ you Paul. Out of all their candidates they sought you out specifically. I'm sure Sally and Percy would be supportive of your dream."

Percy had no idea who the speaker was but he could feel some kind of powerful presence in the room with his step-father. Deciding to get a better idea of what was going on, Percy opened the door and stepped into the room. Paul was staring at the woman who was trying to convince him to take the opportunity and his eyes were slightly glazed over though it did appear he was acting normally still. The woman was taller than the average coming in at just around 5 feet 11 inches and had her sleek black hair tied up neatly in a bun. She had a business-like aura to her and she wore a casual woman's grey dress suit with matching flats for shoes. Whoever sent Paul the offer clearly wanted him to agree because the attitude of the woman gave the appearance she wouldn't accept no for an answer.

"Why don't you just go home and discuss the idea with your family first before committing to a decision one way or another ok? Let your family know how important this is to you and I'm sure everything will work out just great. Who knows what will happen? This could be the exact chance you and your family need to get away from things around here and you can serve the greater good completing your dream." The woman began turning away from Paul and said, "I look forward to hearing your answer tomorrow Paul."

With those final words the two adults turned to the now open door and came face to face with the skeptical demigod. Dream jobs don't just fall into your lap every day and Percy could definitely see now that Paul was under the influence of the Mist slightly. Even if he did know about the Greek world Paul still had to concentrate an incredible amount to see through the veil protecting the mortal world.

"Percy!" Paul said nervously. "Uh, how much of that did you hear exactly?"

Paul was normally a relaxed and laidback guy but clearly the topic was something that scared him as he kept biting his lips and inner cheeks in a nervous habit.

"Well I don't know what I heard exactly" Percy said, "but something about teaching in Japan was mentioned. Is there like a Japan, New York that I don't remember existing or something like that?" He asked hoping that there was and it turned out geography was just another subject he was awful at.

The woman who originally made the offer to Paul clicked her teeth in slight annoyance drawing Percy's attention to her. He narrowed his eyes taking in the woman's presence even further. He moved his right hand down to his pocket casually, making it look as if he was merely resting his hand there but in actuality he was gripping his faithful weapon, Riptide, tightly ready to unleash his fury on this woman if she made a move against them.

"No Mr. Jackson there is no Japan, New York. The offer is for a town called Kuoh Town in the country of Japan. It is a very generous offer and one that he can't refuse" the woman said.

Percy just looked at the woman with a sense of familiarity on his face. Whoever this being was she was clearly powerful and was using Paul to get to Percy for some reason. He didn't know what reason exactly but he hated when gods and monsters used his friends and family against him to get what they wanted. Squeezing even tighter on Riptide he moved his thumb into position near the cap of the ballpoint pen ready to lift it off and turn it into his sword.

"I think I should discuss this further with Percy and my wife at home now" Paul interjected clearly feeling the tension building between his step-son and the mysterious woman. "Thank you for the offer Hena. I will be sure to let you know what we decide tomorrow.

The woman named Hena merely nodded her head to Paul before picking up her briefcase and stepping towards the door. She stood directly in front of Percy.

"I look forward to your answer Paul. I apologize once more for the quick turnaround but this is a prestigious program and they need to know as soon as possible. I want to congratulate you once again though; it is truly an honor to be selected to participate in the program."

Directing her gaze down to Percy she said "As for you young Perseus, I believe we will be seeing each other again very shortly. Till then, Mr. Jackson." Hena then gave a smirk as if she just played a great joke on the demigod before exiting the room and walking down the deserted hallways. She rounded the corner and vanished from Percy's view but not before looking at the demigod one last time. Percy blinked his eyes a couple of times as if trying to clear his head because as Hena looked back at him her eyes flashed to the familiar grey color he was used to seeing for the past five years.

Turning back into the classroom, Percy looked at Paul seeing that his step-father was completely engrossed in his own thoughts. Deciding that it would be better to actually talk about the situation at home, Percy waved his hands in front of Paul's face to get his attention.

"Hello? Earth to Paul? Are you alright?" Percy asked concerned.

The glazed over look Paul had in his eyes previously finally went away causing them to glow with excitement and nervousness. Quickly jumping out of his thoughts he responded.

"What? Oh, Percy it's you! Are you ready to go? I have something I want to discuss with you and your mother at home."

Percy gave Paul a confused look. "Do you mean about the job offer?" he asked nonchalantly

Paul jumped visibly, shocked that his step-son already knew about the deal.

"How did you find out? I just got the offer myself a few minutes ago!" Paul asked heatedly.

"Paul" Percy began trying to think of the right words. Deciding to tell most of the truth Percy said "I was standing right here when you received the offer. That woman, Hena I think you said her name was, she talked to me directly. How do you not remember this?" he asked already knowing it was the Mist affecting him. "Are you sure you're feeling ok?"

Paul just shook his head as if to try and clear our cobwebs. "Huh? I… I don't exactly remember…" he trailed off deep in thought.

It was another couple of minutes before he spoke again but when he did it was as if he was trying to convince himself. "Oh! Oh yeah! That's right now. I remember you were standing right here when I got the offer. Everything is ok. How about we head home huh? We'll share the good news with your mother."

Percy just nodded his head and started making his way with his step-father out of the school and towards their car. He had a mask of concentration on his face thinking over his encounter with the powerful entity.

 _Clearly Paul was affected by the Mist somehow,_ he thought to himself. _And it wasn't just the ordinary kind either or he should have remembered right after I brought up being there when he got the offer. Whatever managed to trick him was extremely powerful._

The woman's final words rang throughout Percy's mind as he approached the Prius. Just as he was about to open the passenger side door a voice from behind called out to him.

"There you are Percy!" the voice exclaimed. It was a man's voice that sounded tired but still maintained a strong tone. "I've been looking all over for you and let me tell you it wasn't easy. I swear I had to stop in over 50 different locations, including some prime bars, before you seeing you."

Percy looked behind him to see a handsome man in his mid-twenties in a track suite. The man was muscular, though not unattractively so, with just the right amount of definition to show off his impressive physique. He stood tall at about 6 feet 2 inches and had a mischievous smile on his face that gave him a playful appeal. Immediately recognizing the god as the Messenger of the Heavens Hermes, Percy turned around to give his attention to his cousin.

"So, you decided that the best place to look for me, an underaged teenager, was a couple of bars rather than my own school?" Percy smirked in knowledge that Hermes probably had some ulterior motives to visit those bars before coming to talk to him.

"I guess that means we should expect a few new Hermes kids in a few years then? I knew you were fast cousin but I didn't think you were _that_ fast." He joked to the god.

Hermes playfully scowled to the son of Poseidon and brought his hands to his chest in a blocking motion before saying "You wound me Percy! Of course, I'm fast. That also means I have to get the ladies off just a bit quicker. Nobody wants a dead fish in bed, am I right?" Hermes laughed at his obvious play on words

Percy chuckled slightly at the god before hearing Paul give a light laugh behind him and decided that if they continued joking about the subject he might hear something he really didn't want to know. Getting serious again the demigod closed the passenger side door and looked Hermes in the eyes.

"What's going on Hermes? I'm assuming this isn't just a social call?" Percy asked in a curious but relatively flat voice. He knew that even seeing a god meant he more than likely had some task that the god needed done and there really wasn't any point in arguing with him or her. He had completed individual tasks for all the gods at this point, in addition to all the world-saving quests he had been on, and if he was honest Hermes' tasks were usually the best. Often times it was something like, "go and retrieve my all-powerful caduceus" or "I need help finding my winged shoes that make me fast" or Percy's personal favorite "deliver this package that person ordered from Amazon". Percy never knew what he was going to get from Hermes but it was always something interesting. Plus, the god actually paid him instead of just commandeering his services so it usually worked out for Percy. He had done enough tasks for all the gods at this point that he was surprised they didn't just flash him were they wanted him to go.

Hermes had approached Percy with a smile still adorning his face from their earlier banter but once he got closer the demigod could see that it was a little forced. Honestly it looked more like a grimace the closer the god got to him. Whatever task Hermes had for him was going to be something big and dangerous it appeared.

"Well you know how it is Perce." Hermes said. "Things have been relatively quiet the past few weeks but that can't last and it seems like the time is up. Listening to the constant bickering of the rest of the Olympians, trying to run these never-ending packages to people. What's a god to do to when he needs some excitement. It's getting tougher every day."

Percy nodded his head in empathy for his cousin. As nice as peace was he couldn't deny that some excitement would be good too. But he would never admit that to the gods otherwise they would be constantly bombarding him with jobs. Knowing his luck, he'd even be stuck as a guardian of the hunt for some godsforsaken reason and the less time he spent with those ladies the more time he could spend enjoying having his man parts intact.

"So, what exactly do you need me for? Another package that needs to be delivered?" he asked hoping that's all it was. Alas it wasn't to be so. He expected Hermes to crack another joke here about not actually need the demigod and he was really just here to spend some quality cousin bonding time with the son of the Seas like he usually did. However, when Hermes let the fake smile falter from his face Percy understood the seriousness of the situation. If the jokester god of the Olympian council wasn't joking around anymore than whatever it was he needed help with must have been important.

"It's not actually me that needs your help Percy" the god said causing Percy to scrunch his eyes together in confusion.

"If you don't need me than who does" Percy asked.

"I need to take you to Olympus with me Perce. This time the entire council needs you to do something for us. Something that could make the lives of demigods everywhere better and safer."

Hermes was never one to make bold statements like that out of the blue. Sure, he exaggerated and lied from time to time but for some reason Percy suspected that something as serious as needing his presence in front of the entire council was not something Hermes would joke about. Before, whenever Percy was summoned by a god it was always a relatively simple task aside from the life or death circumstances surrounding it. Things like "go and retrieve my magical shield from this water park" or "go and see who's using my forge while I'm not there". But for the whole council to demand his presence was overwhelming. He had only ever been in the presence of every other god on three other occasions. The first time was when they voted on whether or not they should kill him right after he saved Annabeth and Artemis from Atlas. The second time was when he saved the world from Kronos and he was granted his wish of the gods recognizing all children of all gods and the peaceful titans, such as Calypso, being granted amnesty. The last time was when he along with the rest of the seven saved the world from Gaea. They didn't offer any gifts that time but as long as he finally got some peace and quiet he didn't really care. Leo and Jason were upset though when they heard how he was granted a wish after saving the world and they weren't offered one when they were part of saving it again. Just thinking about the prospect of being in their presence again and being asked to save the world once more from a prophecy was enough to make him go pale.

He didn't have too much of a choice though as people couldn't just ignore a summons from the gods without being smited from existence so he nodded his head in Hermes direction before looking at Paul again. The older gentlemen had a look of sadness on his face as if he knew how much Percy really didn't want to be caught up in other world-altering war again. He leaned on the side of his car with the driver's side door slightly open and waited for Percy to confirm what he wanted to do. Rather than let his fear at the situation emerge, Percy looked at Paul with as much grim determination as he could muster.

"Seems I'm going to miss some of that discussion Paul. Go ahead on home and start talking to mom without me. Don't tell her where I am. I don't want her to worry about this if I can avoid it. I'll try and be back later tonight." Percy stated while turning to look at Hermes who nodded in confirmation that he would indeed be back by then.

Paul nodded his head in agreement seeing that his step-son was determined. "Just come back to us this time Percy. I don't think your mother could handle another situation of you disappearing" Paul said sadly. He got into the car after that and drove off leaving Percy and Hermes alone in the mostly empty parking lot.

Hermes walked up to the son of Poseidon and grabbed his arm preparing to flash to Olympus.

"You know the drill Perce. Close your eyes and knock on the throne room door when you land. And just so you know now, I'm on your side and I didn't want you put in the position you're about to be placed in."

With that last statement, the god and demigod vanished in a blast of white light headed towards the Home of the Gods.


	5. Chapter 3: Revelations of Religions

Chapter 3: Revelations of Religions

Coming out of the flash travel with Hermes, Percy stumbled to his knees in front of the doors to the throne room. He quickly regained his footing and turned to address the Messenger god only to find he had already flashed himself away to his seat in the room. Growling in frustration, Percy tried to think about what Hermes could have been referring to that would split the gods. He was a divisive figure he knew but it sounded as if the task they had for him would cause him to split from the gods entirely.

 _Well enough gods want me dead so maybe they brought me here to kill me_ he mused to himself. He immediately dismissed that thought as he knew his father would protect him. _As long as Poseidon doesn't surprise me with a new brother and disown me because of it I'll be fine._ He quietly chuckled and then frowned at the thought of his father ever disowning him. He knew deep down he'd done enough in the Greek world and that he brought great prestige and respect to his father but he still had quiet doubts of not living up to his father's expectation in the back of his mind. As hard as it was to admit he still felt awkward when confronted by the fact his father wasn't a part of the first 12 years of his life. The thought was sobering and helped him keep his humble demeanor.

Gathering his equilibrium, Percy stood tall and walked closer to the door before banging loudly on it. With a loud squeaky sound, the marble door opened scraping against the marble floor.

 _Annabeth should have made the doors a different style_ he quietly complained in his head trying to block out the irritating pain of the two rocks rubbing against each other.

"Come" the loud, booming voice of his Uncle, the King of the Gods, could be heard. Percy walked through the open doorway and looked up at the twelve Olympians all staring down at him with curious looks. A few years ago, he would have been shaking and cowering under the steely gazes of the whole council but after helping every one of them at some point or another he was much more confident and strode right in. As he walked past the hearth that rested right in the middle of the room he saw a woman with chestnut brown hair and bright glowing eyes tending to the flames. She looked up with a smile on her face as she stared at Percy. Percy looked at the goddess and gave her a wink and a wave of his hands before continuing on to stand in front of Zeus. He bowed to his king before speaking.

"Lord Zeus" he said, "Hermes said the council has summoned me."

The King looked down on his nephew with a slight scowl before wiping his face of emotions. Even after everything he and the council had been through it seemed his uncle still couldn't get over the fact he was born in the first place. Well that and the fact he was viewed as just as great a hero, if not greater, than his own son Jason.

"Yes Perseus. The council has a task that needs to be done and through consensus you have been chosen."

Percy briefly muttered, "of course they'd stop bickering to find something else for me to do."

Hera scowled at him but Zeus continued on speaking as if he hadn't even heard Percy's insolent comment.

"Know that you are not the first choice I would have wanted for this task, that would be my own son Jason, but as he is busy with his duties as Pontifex Maximus the task now falls to you."

Percy briefly grumbled something about nepotism but then wished that Jason was the person chosen for whatever quest the gods had in store for him. Though life had quieted down considerably since he stopped Gaea, and even became dull at times, the peaceful bliss of not constantly fighting for his life was amazing. Rather than voice his reservations aloud and possibly insult every god present he merely took a deep breath readying himself for whatever they said next. He may not be the smartest person but he did manage to learn a thing or two since the end of the Second Titan and Giant wars and he was no longer the same demigod who nervously entered the throne room of the gods to deliver his uncle's symbol of power back five years ago.

"What is this quest then uncle?" Percy asked in a slightly exasperated voice. He might have gotten better at dealing with the gods but he was by no means perfect.

Zeus shuffled his feet momentarily, something that Percy had never seen him do before, before speaking again.

"It is not exactly a quest nephew. No formal prophecy will be given this time. It's more a of commitment that will require your service for… ah some period of time."

Percy frowned at Zeus before looking at the remaining Olympians. His father had a sad, downcast look to his face and couldn't even meet his eyes. Apollo had a look of relief on his face, as if he just avoided a death sentence, though his eyes too held a little mirth at whatever situation Percy found himself in. Ares had a hungry, excited look on his face like all his hopes and dreams were resting on Percy's shoulders. Hermes looked sad, much like his father, except he too held a little of the same relief that Apollo had. Hephaestus and Dionysus both looked indifferent and were completely distracted by some metal cube and a wine magazine respectively.

On the other side of the circle was a completely different story. Every goddess looked at Percy with an excited, happy gleam to their eyes; some sparkling with laughter while others shown with pure joy. He wasn't sure why the goddesses were so happy with the situation but if the task was something that even made Artemis smile he feared for his life. Anytime the man-hating goddess was pleased with a man it was probably a good indication for him to run for his life.

Of all the goddesses, one looked even more excited than the others. Aphrodite had a thrilled and jittery look to her and was constantly clapping her hands together softly. Her normally kaleidoscopic color changing eyes seemed to settle on a blue shade and the typical blonde hair Percy grew accustomed to seeing morphed into a crimson red that was pulled into a ponytail and went down to her legs. Percy couldn't ever recall seeing a woman with those features before but he couldn't deny that he did find the look appealing. Aphrodite stared deep into Percy's eyes before squealing like a little schoolgirl who got asked on her first date.

"Oh Percy!" she exclaimed. "Yes, this will indeed be passionate and full of emotion. I can see the bond growing stronger already. It will be a love greater than Paris and Helen!"

Percy had no idea what the goddess was talking about but upon hearing the names of her favorite couple, and knowing they started one of the largest and longest wars in history, he quickly tried to prevent her from saying any more.

"Uh…" he said drawing a blank as to how to continue. "I have no idea what you're talking about my Lady. However, I definitely don't want to be associated with your favorite couple so… maybe it could be one with… umm… less passion?" A lame excuse if he ever thought of one but it achieved its goal of distracting the excited goddess. She grew a slightly bemused but confused smile as if she didn't understand why anyone wouldn't want such a glorious love life.

Athena quickly jumped into the conversation before Aphrodite could start talking about love again. While it might have been interesting to know that Percy's new potential mate was with the other pantheon it really had no effect on whether he was going to go or not. He wouldn't have a choice and Athena planned on doing anything she could to ensure it all went smoothly. What would happen after the marriage ceremony was irrelevant to her as long as they got the alliance.

"Percy" Athena began, "before Lord Zeus assigns you your task I must first ask a question. Tell me, what do you know about God?"

Percy was flummoxed as to how to even respond to that. They were all gods so they should already know all about themselves. He didn't know every detail about their lives, there were just too many myths about them to know them all, but he did learn quite a bit about them since discovering he was a demigod.

"Umm…" he began hesitantly. "I've learned quite a bit about you all since finding out I was a demigod. Like Lord Zeus was viewed as a fun loving, happy god when he first became King. Or you and my father actually had a couple of different battles to gain patronage of the ancient Greek cities. But I'm not sure I could tell you something about the gods that you don't already know Lady Athena."

Athena frowned and shook her head no as if she expected this answer from him and he was an idiot for thinking that. It reminded him of how Annabeth acted towards him at the end of their relationship and soured his mood.

"No Perseus. You need to listen better if you hope to not be yelled at by your future partner in life."

Percy felt his sour mood grow even worse and his face got red from embarrassment by her words as he heard the veiled insult about how he wasn't good enough for her daughter. The red on his face changed then from one of humiliation to one of anger at the goddess but before he could retort back she started speaking again.

"Well that is just something else we will have to take into consideration. However, let's focus on the question first. What do you know about God Percy? Not us Olympians but God."

Still not quite understanding what the Goddess of Wisdom wanted, Percy asked a question hoping to get further clarity. He had a very vague idea of where the conversation was headed but he really was hoping to avoid serious philosophical debates.

"Do you mean like… THE God. As in capital G God?"

Athena nodded her head trying to move the conversation along more quickly.

"Well" Percy continued, "when I first got to Camp I asked Chiron about it but he told me that it was some metaphysical concept and I shouldn't worry about it. I guess I just kind of assumed he didn't exist. Chiron's answer didn't really make any sense and since I just found I was a demigod I had other things on my mind. Asking again just slipped my mind and I never thought about it. Why do you ask?"

Athena rolled her eyes at Percy. "Of course, you wouldn't ask more questions" Athena mumbled softly but it was still loud enough to be heard by everyone. Percy scowled back at her in response. She ignored his glare and continued on.

"No Perseus, God does exist. Or rather, God _did_ exist. Long ago, before there was anything there was nothing. From the nothing emerged a figure. It was everything and it was also nothing. It was Chaos, the Creator of the Universe, or as some call it God."

Athena paused to draw in a breath and let that sink in. This wouldn't even be the big reveal and Percy's face was already scrunched up in surprise. Chaos and God being one in the same was definitely not what he expected if his face was anything to go by. Percy knew a little about Chaos but if she was also God then there was even more to learn than he imagined.

Just as Athena was about to speak again Percy quickly asked a question effectively cutting the goddess off.

"Why do you keep saying it? I thought God was a man? Doesn't the bible and the church usually portray him as a guy?"

"The Creator is neither a male nor a female, it just is. How the Creator is viewed is a reflection of the religion. For example, we Greeks view Chaos as a female deity, as a nurturing figure creating life and love and existence. The Romans see Chaos as more male having adopted a more warlike persona and his creations are seen through the scope of how useful they are to battle and strategy. For other religions, like Judaism and Christianity, the Creator is viewed as male as well as society at the time of the religions creation regarded men as superior."

From the side, Artemis growled her displeasure at Athena's comment. She glared at Percy as if daring him to agree with Athena so she had an excuse to turn him into a Jackalope. Percy gulped visibly before turning back to the Wisdom Goddess.

"In all likelihood, the Creator was a mixture of both female and male and merely adopted the appearance of how it was viewed by whatever religion it was dealing with at the time. Does that make sense?" she asked.

It really didn't make all that much sense to the young demigod. Too many it's and he's and she's and honestly it just confused Percy more. However, self-preservation was always a good instinct to follow and if Chaos was all powerful he supposed it didn't matter if it was a man or a woman since he could be killed in the blink of an eye either way. Deciding to move on Percy asked another question.

"Ok, so Chaos is also God and is either a man or a woman or both or whatever. Why do you keep saying was? Isn't Chaos out there creating still?"

Now that they had reached the crux of the conversation Athena took another deep breath before looking at her fellow Olympians. Percy was one of the first mortals to be told this secret, perhaps throughout the entire world. His reaction would be a good measuring stick for understanding how the rest of the mortals would react. Around the throne room the other gods and goddesses looked a bit nervous about telling Percy too. The only one who looked calm was Poseidon as if he knew his son could handle the news.

"Percy" Poseidon said looking at his son. The God of the Seas would take the burden of telling the truth to his son as was his right and duty as his father. "The reason Athena keeps using the past tense is because God is dead."

The initial reaction the Olympians got from the demigod was not something they expected. Percy started laughing when he heard about the death of the Creator. The gods looked nervously at each other as if Percy was going mad. As one collective group, they looked towards Dionysus to seek confirmation if Percy did indeed go crazy at the news. The God of Wine looked up at everyone when he realized they were all staring at him. He looked down at Percy, who was still laughing, before shaking his head no and going back to his magazine. While the demigod was still chuckling, the gods breathed a sigh of relief at discovering the boy was still sane.

Wiping a few tears of laughter from his face, Percy forced himself to calm down and regain his composure. Still smiling, he began talking.

"So, Chaos died huh? Well ok then. How long till she reforms? Has this kind of situation happened before?"

Athena looked towards Zeus who nodded his head in confirmation. If they were going to get his help they would tell him everything he needed to know.

"Actually Perseus" she said, "Chaos died well over a thousand years ago."

The demigod frowned at the revelation. The sparkle his eyes held from his previous laughing died out and any mirth that previously remained vanished.

 _Has Chaos not reformed yet then? Why are they telling me about this now?_ He thought to himself.

He decided to voice his questions out loud. "Isn't she reborn yet? A thousand years seems a little too long for a reincarnation. Even Kronos began stirring in the Pit long before he regained his body. Why are you telling me all this now?"

"No nephew" Zeus said. "Chaos has not been reincarnated and she won't be. Chaos is truly dead and gone forever."

Percy frowned once more at his uncle's words.

"Do you… you mean that…" Percy gulped trying to form his next words carefully. "You are saying that Chaos, the Creator of the Universe, the being that the primordial gods came from, she is dead and not coming back?"

"Yes, my son" Poseidon said, "Chaos is now, as we would say, sleeping with the fishes."

The other gods rolled their eyes at Poseidon's obvious attempt at light hearted humor but Percy couldn't believe his ears. Learning of the death of the Creator was shocking and certainly taking a toll on the young man.

"Why haven't you told anyone about this before?" the demigod asked. "Why are you even telling me now?" Percy was now genuinely shaking thinking about what he just heard. The repercussions of such words were far reaching and not just for his pantheon if what Athena said earlier was true. "Is any of this even real?" he asked. "Do we even exist if Chaos herself doesn't?" He was rambling incoherently about existence being a lie and everything he knew being wrong. He knew it was a bit of an overreaction but it wasn't every day his world was changed so dramatically.

Athena stood up from her throne and shrunk down to the son of Poseidon's size and walked in front of him. Percy wasn't paying close enough attention to the goddess but when she smacked him across the face hard he was forced to regain his equilibrium. Rather than actually looking angry with her, Percy merely stood up straight and nodded his head in gratitude. Even Percy could recognize he was acting irrationally in the situation and that wouldn't help anyone. Whether Chaos existed or not shouldn't matter to him anymore than it did before the meeting started.

Athena walked back to her throne and looked back at Percy. Seeing that he managed to get himself back under control she took up her seat and answered his questions, both asked and unasked.

"To first begin, we don't tell people this information for two reasons. First, we didn't know for certain if Chaos was truly dead until recently. Much like you, we had assumed she would reform. When you defeated Gaea, she mentioned something briefly about her mother never coming back and being all alone. It was as you and Leo Valdez were attacking her that she mentioned it directly to us gods who were watching the fight. We too were initially shocked but it made sense and we accepted it, as will you with time. The second reason we didn't tell anyone is because we don't know how they will react to it. Mortals are fickle about issues like this and could become depressed or angry or any other gamut of emotions. Best to let them believe what they want. As for the rest, of course you and I and all the rest of us exist. Don't let your imagination get the better of you. Whatever system Chaos had in place to keep everything functioning like normal is working."

Percy nodded his head in understanding. He had reacted poorly to the news and he was just one person. If everyone knew about the death of the Creator then the world could go crazy with anarchy and nobody wants that.

"The reason we are telling you now is because the task we require your help with is indirectly involved with Chaos. More specifically, the iteration of Chaos known as God. What do you know about Christian mythology Perseus?" Athena asked.

"Umm… like Angels and Demons and such?" he questioned. Athena nodded in confirmation.

"Not much I suppose. Only basic info like Angels live in Heaven and serve God, or I guess I should say served God, and Demons live in Hell and serve Satan. Demons try to corrupt people while Angels save them. That's about it I guess." Percy finished with a shrugging shoulder.

"Yes, that is what I expected" Athena responded back. "You have two of the factions but what you call Demons are actually known as Devils. In addition to Angels and Devils there are also the Fallen Angels. They are beings that once served God as Heavenly Angels but through sin and temptation were cast down from Heaven and fell from Grace. Together the three factions fight each other though they are more like skirmishes in truth. I don't know all the details yet but long ago the three factions fought in what they called the Great War where many Angels, Devils, and Fallen Angels died. It was in this war where we suspect God and his Devil counterparts, the four Great Satans, all died. However, this is just speculation for now."

When Athena said that she didn't know about the war and everything they had guessed was speculation she scowled in anger. She prided herself on knowing almost everything and even admitting to something that she didn't know surprised Percy.

"Wait" Percy interrupted. Athena didn't like that based on her glare but he continued talking anyway. "Are you saying that the Christian Pantheon actually exists?"

"You already know about the Romans and Egyptians and Norse. Is it truly so difficult for you to imagine the creatures of Biblical folklore existing at this point? We did just spend the last few minutes talking about God specifically did we not?" Athena asked rhetorically.

"I… I suppose not," Percy answered not realizing it was rhetorical, "it just seemed so unlikely. I mean I've been here to Olympus and to Hades. I've even been through Tartarus." Everyone around the room shivered as a creepy feeling crawled up their spines at the name. "why haven't I seen these Angels or Devils before?"

"The Mist works miracles" was the response from Hera. Aside from her scowling at him earlier she hadn't given any indication as to how she felt about the situation. "Much like with the Romans, the Mist hides you from the other pantheons. The Angels and Devils are there you just don't see them as they don't see you. In a special place in the Underworld is where the Devils and Fallen Angels make their home. Hades has no control over their home just as they don't have any control over his. As for Heaven, well it isn't actually included in Olympus. Rather it is more of an alternate place of existence at the same level."

Percy had no idea what that meant but learning the Christian mythos existed was a lot to take in itself, not to mention being on top of learning about the death of Chaos.

"Ok" he said, "so what is it that you want with the Christians then? I honestly don't think anybody would support another war right now. Especially considering we just finished one with Gaea barely four months ago."

Zeus, clearly upset with Percy's statement, spoke forcefully. "Who are you to decide if we go to war or not demigod!? Olympus follows the will of myself and the council. If we declare war then you will follow our lead and fight!"

Ares had a giant smirk on his face at the prospect of seeing a fight breakout. While a fight between Percy and Zeus would be fairly one-sided in heavy favor of the god, it was still more action than what was being discussed. Percy looked over at the war god and realized that this was why Ares looked so happy earlier. The god wanted war to break out though something told him that this particular fight wasn't the only one Ares was hoping for.

Athena spoke quickly in an effort to dissolve the highly-contentious atmosphere.

"We understand that war is not advisable Perseus. However, the fact remains that without a True God to lead the Christian pantheon they are vulnerable. It is only a matter of time until another pantheon sees their situation as weakness and attacks. If that were to happen we would be at a serious disadvantage should the conquering pantheon choose to attack us. This is a situation we cannot allow."

"So, we declare war first then? That's it? A preemptive strike to eliminate any possibility of weakness?"

Artemis growled Percy's way after he questioned the gods.

"Maybe if you stopped asking questions and actually listened, boy, you'd understand what we want!" she spoke vehemently. "It's no wonder that true maiden dumped your dumb ass" she said turning back to Athena.

Pride might not have been the most important trait for Percy but even he could only take so much before he exploded. He too had a limit and he was fast approaching it. Being constantly reminded of how dumb he was, at least his intelligence being the reason for his breakup with Annabeth, was depressing him even more than he already was. The gods didn't really pay attention to his saddened state but Aphrodite gave him a pitying look as if she knew what he felt, which in all seriousness she probably did.

Percy looked all around the throne room before adopting an indifferent and cold attitude.

"What's your plan then?" he asked flatly.

The gods noticed how stale and neutral his voice became. They knew if they wanted him to voluntarily help with the plan they would need to lighten up a bit.

"Well" Athena said, "we want to incorporate ourselves with the Christian pantheon still. Just not through violence if it's preventable. Rather we'd like an alliance with them. If we can form a mutual pact then both pantheons grow stronger. Eventually the hope is total assimilation but the alliance is what we want for now."

"And what is it that you want me to do? I'm a fighter not a diplomat. You're better off sending one of Hermes children for that kind of mission."

Percy looked at all the gods then. Most adopted a visage of regal authority but he could see some nervousness in those eyes. At the sound of a familiar voice Percy turned to look at his father.

"Percy" Poseidon said softly. The throne room had grown quiet at the impending conversation between father and son. Poseidon might have agreed to the plan but he was still more hesitant about it than everyone else. "Percy, this is not what I wanted for you my son, but… Olympus needs your aid once more."

Olympus needed him. The words echoed around in Percy's head. Olympus always needed him. Without thinking about what he was saying, Percy just blurted out the first words that entered his mind.

"You're going to end up killing me" he whispered quietly. The words were spoken more softly than any other since the discussion began but despite the gentle tenor they were voiced with the words reverberated throughout the room.

Realizing that the silence from his statement was lingering in the air he spoke quickly to try and recover his confident demeanor. He failed at that.

"What…" his voice quivered and broke. He could feel his throat constricting tighter and tighter, not wanting to actually ask the question. Tartarus had taken its toll on both Percy and Annabeth and the prospect of another quest was not met with the same attitude he once had. Before he could say anything further his father took pity on him and answered the unasked question.

"We want to form an alliance with the Christians my son and we want to use you to do it." Percy nodded his head numbly before Poseidon continued. The fire that burned within him when he entered the throne room was slowly burning out with the heavy burden.

Poseidon continued, "what we will do is send you to one of the pantheons more active areas where you can acclimate yourself with your surroundings. While we prepare you for the factions we, as in Lady Aphrodite and I, will be vetting possible… erm… spouses for you."

Percy collapsed to his knees at the sudden shock of the plan. Hestia, tending to the flames not far behind him, immediately stopped her duty and ran up to her nephew to give him a hug and hopefully spread some hope throughout him. She looked over his shoulder to see misty glazed eyes that looked like he wanted to cry but couldn't in a room of such powerful beings. Silence once more usurped Zeus's rule as King of the throne room as no one knew what to say.

Then as the silence grew too unbearable, little chuckles could be heard coming from the Hero of Olympus. It wasn't the happy kind of laughter; no, the chuckles that came from the demigod were ones of despair and resignation as in if he didn't laugh then he would have broken down and cried. The gods could feel the heartbreaking emotion wave over them and that was with Hestia comforting the Prince of the Seas.

"Just when I thought the only thing I had left to give was my life you turn around and demand my love instead." The laughter was bitter now. These people were his family and he cared for them but this was asking too much. In some ways, it was even worse than giving up his life for them.

"Have I not sacrificed enough?" he asked to them still on his knees. "I have watched my friends die. I killed family to protect you and all the demigods. You took almost a full year of my life away; poof gone, just like that" he added with a snap of his fingers. "I traveled through the Pit to keep you all safe and close the Doors of Death. And now…" he paused to stand back up on his feet. Hestia's hug was gently pushed away as Percy lifted his head to stare down his relatives. "Now, when I can maybe finally find some peace in this world, you are asking me to get married to some random woman so you can grow your power." Percy felt angry again. The hopelessness he felt a minute ago was slowly being replaced but it wasn't due to Hestia's magic. Pure, unadulterated rage shown on the demigod's face as he looked directly into his Uncle's narrowing eyes.

"You haven't forced any of your children to marry. Why me and not them? When was the last time you even forced anyone to marry?"

Bitterness. That was all that could be heard in his voice now. He could feel the tugging in his stomach wanting to be used. His instincts and power urged him to action but he knew it would all be for nothing. Somehow, they would find a way to get what they want and he would eventually concede. But not yet. For now, he would let his emotions run wild while straining himself from actually using his power.

Apollo and Ares looked distinctly uncomfortable with the question but Artemis looked downright murderous at his unruly implied accusation. Percy didn't care though. He just wanted some answers.

Athena took the opportunity to provide the reasoning behind the council's decision. Percy tried to reign himself in further to prevent a major meltdown that would result in some kind of war declaration. He succeeded for the most part.

"Perseus" she said successfully getting the now stoic demigod's attention. "Unfortunately, we cannot use any of the gods as a partner because we are simply too powerful for them. While most of the factions are immortal, they can still die and there is a good chance if they married a god eventually the god would kill them. A sad truth to be sure but a truth nonetheless. And for your information the last time the council has required a marriage between two peoples was the union of the goddess Hebe with the newly made god Heracles."

"What about another demigod then? You could send Travis or Connor or what about someone like Lou Ellen or Kayla Knowles?"

Hermes and Apollo frowned towards Percy at the mention of their children's names. Athena had a response for every single name Percy came up with though.

"The Stoll brothers you say?" she responded. "You know they are tricksters and pranksters. Any deal with them would result in disaster as they would wreak havoc." Hermes briefly smiled at the thought of his sons messing with the factions but quickly drew himself back to the discussion. "As for the other two" Athena continued, "they are too weak and too young to even be considered. On top of all these reasons none of them have the same respect and power you do. You are known in a couple of pantheons now Percy and they respect you as a great figure much like the Greeks."

Percy jumped on those lines of thinking looking for any way out of his situation. He felt awful about thinking this way considering he would always do anything for his friends but somehow, he found the prospect of giving up his love life to be too much.

"What about Jason then? Or Nico if he's too busy? Thalia is just as strong as me and even she could be chosen." Percy knew he went too far when suggesting Thalia but he was so desperate at this point not to be chosen he said the name of anyone powerful he could think of.

Artemis suddenly stood up from her throne flaring her aura and power causing Percy to take a step back. "I will not allow my Lieutenant to be chosen and sold off like some prized mare waiting to be mounted."

"Oh, but you're perfectly content to sell me off are you?" Percy retorted back.

"Your gods damn right I am you filthy male!" Artemis screamed back. "For thousands of years' young maidens have been forced into marrying and providing heirs for scum men with no choice, no say in the matter. Well now the tables have turned and I'm going to make sure it follows through and enjoy every second of it. You WILL marry for the good of Olympus!"

Percy listened to the Moon Goddesses tirade before losing his cool again. His rage returned with a vengeance and this time it seemed as if a fight was inevitable.

 _It's always the same with the gods_ he thought. _Sacrifice, sacrifice, and sacrifice some more. And then when we have nothing left to give what more do they want? Oh, just that last little bit of sacrificing we have left._

Percy subconsciously moved his hand into his pants pocket reaching for his trusty sword. Artemis was a hypocrite of the worst kind and he wasn't going to take it anymore. Back in ancient Greece when men ruled and women were property she would have been in the right and her attacking the numerous lecherous men hunting for her and her hunters. And while he acknowledged some men still existed like that today, there were many who weren't, including himself. Women now had rights and could vote and were in positions of power. The world was different now and he would not allow himself to be a scapegoat for the crimes of men in ancient times.

Just as he was about to pull Riptide from his pocket he felt a pair of dainty, soft hands grasp his arm firmly. Percy turned his rage driven face to look at who grabbed him when he again saw the crimson hair and bright blue eyes of Aphrodite. Upon seeing a look of sadness but resilient hope on the goddess' face he felt his anger once again slowly dissipating. The Lady of Love pulled Percy into a tight hug refusing to let go and whispered sweet, comforting words into his ear. He relaxed his body into Aphrodite and hugged her back.

The other gods, namely Poseidon and Athena, turned furious glares towards Artemis. She just scoffed at them as if the mere suggestion the demigod could even fight her had merit but she resumed her seat all the same and flashed her hunting knives away. Ares gave out a groan at another opportunity to watch a fight evaporate before his eyes.

After a few minutes of comforting hugging Aphrodite pulled back and looked into the eyes of the Savior of Olympus twice over. She could still feel the despair he emitted from the decision and she could see the slouched resigned posture he adopted as he finally accepted his fate. But, not wanting to see the strong, inspiring demigod fall to perpetual gloom she took it upon herself to ease his decision. The other gods and goddesses might have been wanting the alliance to gain more power and, to some extent Aphrodite was doing that too, but her power would not come from the assimilation of the pantheons like the others. Rather her power would stem from the love that she would feel from the actual marriage pact Percy would be part of and him meeting up with his soulmates.

"It's going to be ok Percy" the goddess said. "I promise you that you will feel love like you could never imagine by agreeing to this. I can already tell your loves are strong and powerful and will love you just as much. I know you feel heartbroken over Annabeth's decision to break up but I promise you if you open your heart again you will find women who truly care about you and not just view you as a trophy. Plus, you might learn something you didn't expect about the daughter of Athena."

Conflict could be seen on Percy's face as he contemplated Aphrodite's words. He wondered what he could learn about Annabeth but he can't say he was surprised to find out she was hiding something. But opening up again would mean vulnerability and a chance to get his heart crushed again. It was scary and nerve-racking but looking at Aphrodite Percy saw just how serious the goddess was. It wasn't something he ever expected to encounter in the normally ditzy goddess but somehow it reassured him. Taking in a deep breath he nodded his head in agreement. Aphrodite beamed at him before pulling him into one final hug and giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. She returned to her seat just as Zeus began speaking again.

"Good" he boomed. "A wise decision nephew. Now, Athena, please explain some last few details to young Percy."

Athena nodded as Percy turned to look at her once more. He still looked sad but there was also a spark of determination in his eyes now. If this played out as successfully as the gods hoped then they would all have Aphrodite to thank, something that they've never had to do in a positive way before.

Beginning she said, "Yes a good choice indeed Perseus. You are saving your friends and family by agreeing to this and I'm sure they will be grateful." Percy just nodded his head in acceptance not having anything to say.

"With all that said, you must know the location we are sending you. It is a little town in Japan called Kuoh Town. Much activity has been ongoing at that location and it will be easiest to integrate you there."

Percy thought he couldn't be shocked anymore after hearing about his arranged marriage but he was proven wrong again. He assumed they would send him somewhere in the United States but never would he have suspected Japan.

"Japan!" he exclaimed. "But… but… why?" he asked completely at a loss. "Even if it has the most activity I know nothing about the country. Seriously. My knowledge of Japan consists of them having samurai and they lost in World War II. I don't even know the language."

But Athena being Athena, she had an answer to almost everything and this was no different.

"I am sure your step-father could provide you a much-needed history breakdown of the country. Or if you would prefer I can give you a rigorous day by day history lesson from the early ninth century until today" she said with a raised eyebrow. She actually looked a little eager at the prospect of teaching Percy so much.

"Umm… no thanks" he said. "I don't think I have time for that and I'm sure the Japanese know enough about their own history to cover me as well."

"Very well" Athena said frowning at his answer. "As to the actual Japanese language, the council has agreed to bestow a minor blessing on you that will grant you the ability to understand and speak Japanese. However, you will still have your dyslexia so trying to read and write the language will be as difficult as English if not more so."

"How can you even bless me with the ability to speak Japanese? I don't remember ever hearing about Olympus being in Japan." The demigod asked.

"During our time in Great Britain our influence extended across the globe" Athena continued in a lecturing tone. "It was during such explorations and expansion that we learned most languages through our interactions with the local peoples and as such we can transfer this knowledge to you through a blessing."

Percy nodded his head in acknowledgement of the answer. "Oh" he replied smartly, "that makes sense I guess." The gods in the throne room also nodded their heads while Athena gave an exasperated sign.

"Yes, it does. And now we wil-"

"Wait!" Percy interrupted again. The Goddess of Wisdom flared her power in annoyance at the constant back and forth between herself and her rival's son. She usually liked questions; questions led to answers and answers led to knowledge and knowledge eventually led to wisdom, all of which she was fond of, but she hated being questioned personally. She was the Goddess of Wisdom for a reason and she knew what was the best course of action.

Percy leaned away from the goddess at her open display of power but he was determined to ask his final question.

"What about my parents?" he asked. "I can't leave them behind again and I doubt they'd want to move to Japan. I mean my mom is pregnant with my sibling and I want to be around to help her out. She deserves a good, relaxing life after everything she's had to put up with for me."

Hera, a goddess that really doesn't like demigods, and more specifically wasn't a fan of Percy, gave her nephew a surprising sympathetic look. As the goddess of marriage and family she could understand his desire to keep his mother close. Familial bonds were almost sacred to the Queen of the Heavens and there was no stronger bond than the love between a mother and her child.

"You need not fear my dear" Hera said. "I can see the love you share with your mother and we will not separate you."

 _Again,_ Percy thought bitterly. _You've already done it to me once before_.

Eyeing the Queen skeptically Percy decided not to voice his thoughts aloud in the event she changed her mind.

"Besides" Athena said drawing attention back to her, "we've already taken care of your parents. There will be no issue from them."

"What do you mean you've 'taken care of them'" Percy asked somewhat hysterically. Any reassurance he might have had from Hera immediately vanished with Athena's comment.

Athena smirked at the demigod before glowing in a bright ephemeral grey light causing Percy to turn away briefly. When the light disappeared and he turned back to the goddess he saw a familiar sight from not long ago. Seated on the throne where Athena usually sat was a tall woman of above average height with black hair pulled into a tight bun resting on the top of her head. She was wearing the same grey suit he remembered seeing on her earlier in the day.

"I told you we'd being seeing each other soon Perseus." The woman said.

"You!" Percy exclaimed. "You're Hena! But then…" and that's when everything fell into place for him. He could see all the pieces being played out now and the execution of the plan was flawless. As much as he didn't want to admit it, it was a plan worthy of the Goddess of Wisdom. The gods covered all their bases to make sure they got what they wanted.

First, they asked him nicely if he would willing take up the task. If that didn't work, as it didn't, then they would use his loyalty against him saying he would be protecting his friends and family and he would find happiness along the way. They even combined the suggestion with a vain hope of finding true love according to Aphrodite, though Percy suspected her role in the manipulation weren't part of the original plans. Athena wouldn't care if he found love and was happy; she just wanted him to agree to the marriage pact. Then the final insurance to get him to agree was the manipulation of his parents. By offering his step-father a job he has always wanted in the exact place they wanted to send Percy it would all but guarantee his move overseas. Then he'd already be in place for the marriage whether he wanted it or not.

As much as he seethed with anger at the coercion, he couldn't deny the brilliance of the plan. However, it just added towards his bitterness and resentfulness towards the gods, especially Athena and her arrogant attitude.

Realizing that it was a losing fight and that is parents would indeed be going with him, Percy took another deep breathe before turning his glare away from Athena and settled an indifferent look on his uncle.

"Ok, so what do I do now?" he asked.

"Now nephew" Zeus said, "now we will give the blessing of the Japanese language to you. Brace yourself for this blessing requires the whole council and will hurt for a moment." Looking the rest of his fellow gods and goddesses in their eyes momentarily he said "on three then."

Percy didn't think anything of it and closed his eyes in preparation. He tried to relax his body but only partially succeeded due to his worry of Zeus' promise of pain. It seemed unlikely such a basic blessing would cause him any kind of pain but the gods didn't make statements like that for no reason.

"One" Zeus stated loudly. Percy was trying to think of happy soothing images like the sea and his mom's amazing blue cookies. Those always brought sensations of joy and pleasure to the demigod and it helped him further relax.

"Tw-" Zeus didn't even finish saying two before Percy saw a bright white light through his closed eyelids and then felt an agonizing pain flare throughout his body. Percy kept his eyes shut tight in fear the light would burn them but the pain from the blessing brought him to his knees. His body was screaming in torture and it felt like his head was about to explode. His tongue was what hurt the most though as it constantly switched from burning heat like boiling water to hypothermia inducing arctic cold and a persistent tingling feeling attacked it. If he could even talk after this then he'd be truly surprised.

After what felt like minutes of horrendous pain but was probably no more than 30 seconds the bright light vanished and the feeling was returning to his body. Pushing himself up to stand on wobbly legs he looked around the room again. He didn't look any different, he didn't feel any different. There was no new sensation of power surging through his body and he didn't notice any increase in his skills. However, he did feel something was different with his mind. Before when he thought about something there was this basic instinct that told him what an object was and he associated his words with it. Now, when he thought about those same objects he could clearly identify two or more completely different words to describe the same thing.

As he looked around the room he tried using his new skill. Throne became Ōi and chiton was now kiton. He still mostly thought of everything in English as it was what he grew up with and was most familiar with but now he could subconsciously switch between English and Japanese with ease.

["Do you understand me son"] Poseidon asked while looking at Percy.

["Yes dad"] he responded back. Percy jumped a little at his voice. He clearly recognized the English his brain knew it to be but when he spoke the words coming out of his mouth they sounded like "Hai Oto-san". It was exactly what he said but in Japanese. He couldn't help the grin that came over his face when he thought about talking back to his teachers in Goode now. At least until he moved anyway.

The God of the Seas just smiled and nodded.

"Now then" Zeus began again, "now that that is all done with you must go and prepare yourself for the journey Perseus. In a few months' time, you and your family will move to Kuoh Town. Your father and Lady Aphrodite will begin searching for a suitable marriage prospect immediately after your arrival in the country. In the meantime, you should say goodbye to your friends. It could be some time before you see them again."

With those final words, Zeus banged his arm on his throne like a gavel and thundered "Council dismissed!" before flashing off in a shower of yellow and blue lightning. The second Zeus departed eight other flashes of light went off signaling the departure of the majority of the remaining gods. When Percy reopened his eyes, he saw the three who stayed: his father, Poseidon, Aphrodite and, much to his dismay, Athena. Percy began walking up to his father when Athena stepped in front of his path effectively blocking him.

Percy was still pissed about her manipulation of him but she was still a goddess that he needed to acknowledge. At the very least he needed not to anger her further as she could be a major issue for him with his task.

Through tightly clenched teeth Percy managed to ask in a somewhat respectful voice "Is there something you want Athena?"

Athena smirked at him before addressing the question.

"Yes, Perseus there is. Unfortunately, now is not the appropriate time. I came here to tell you two things."

She paused expecting him to interrupt her again but he simply stared at the goddess waiting for her to speak. Once more Athena scowled at the unpredictable nature of the demigod.

"First," she said, "prior to boarding your plane in San Francisco you will talk with me regarding some details about a special item you possess. Worry not, I will explain more at that time" she said noticing he opened his mouth to interrupt her once more. Thinking she forestalled his questions she was about to begin again but Percy wasn't dissuaded.

"What do you mean plane!?" he asked panicked. "I can't fly! Zeus would kill me before we even left the runway!"

"No Perseus" Athena said. "You are on a mission for the entire council this time; he will let you travel in his domain this once. At least it would be foolish of him to attack you and the rest of the council would defend you this time."

Nothing in her words provided comfort for him and he gulped loudly, visibly nervous at the prospect of flying over 20 something hours. Both him and his mother did not do well in planes and he was anxious as to how they would cope with the flight. Athena took his silence as acknowledgment of her statement and continued speaking.

"The second reason is that in the coming months you should gather all your close friends and tell them the truth. We do not want them to begin another manhunt for you for no reason when you begin your task. Gather them all at Camp Jupiter and tell them everything. Leave NO ONE out Perseus. It could end badly if someone died because of your neglect."

It became pretty clear just who she was referring to but Percy didn't really want to include _her_ in any conversation. She had no right to know about his life now that they weren't together, they weren't even friends anymore if the complete lack of communication in the past month and a half was any indication. Plus, trying to explain to your ex-girlfriend about how you were now in an arranged marriage wasn't exactly something one did.

"Fine" was all he muttered before looking past Athena and seeing his father and Aphrodite standing next to each other and whispering softly. Athena nodded one final time before bursting into flames and flashing away. His clothes got a little crispy from the burning flash but luckily, he was far enough away from the goddess to avoid any actual burns. He suspected this was on purpose on the goddess' part considering she knew about his increase flame and heat resistance due to his father.

"I'm sorry Percy" Poseidon said walking up to his son. Aphrodite was walking next to him but whereas his father looked resigned to his son's fate she was bouncing about and looked excited.

"I know this isn't what you wanted. I didn't want this for you either. If it wasn't for Aphrodite telling me you would find the one you are meant to be with there would be war between the Olympians right now." He said solemnly.

Percy could hardly believe what his father was saying. Another war but this time between the Olympians themselves. He knew his dad cared about him but he didn't actually expect him to take it that far. His incredulous look must have been evident on his face because his father gave a slight chuckle.

"You have done us gods more than enough Percy" Poseidon said while pulling him in for a hug. They've never really showed that kind of affection before, only on two other occasions that he could recall, but it was still a nice feeling.

"Oh, stop being so dramatic Poseidon" Aphrodite said from the side. "I swear that sometimes you're even worse than Zeus when it comes to theatrics. Anyway, it's like I told you both already, you, Percy, will find your happy ending by going on this task."

Percy pulled away from his father to look at Aphrodite. Expecting to see the crimson red hair and blue eyes he was surprised to see her appearance changed again. Now Aphrodite's hair was loose, going only to her thighs, and was a midnight black. She had loose bangs covering her forehead and side bangs that framed her petite face. On top of her head she had one long strand sticking out, something he knew from his Japanese blessing was called an ahoge. Her eyes were no longer the baby blue from before but now were a vibrant violet and her face adopted a feral look; almost sadistic in nature. It was a little nerve-racking to say the least but Percy couldn't deny that he was turned on by her appearance.

Aphrodite started squealing in joy again once she realized what Percy saw and he was checking her out.

"Oh yes!" she said. "Yes, I do see that working for you. You like that hmm?" she asked seductively and placed her slender hands on his biceps. "Oooh so strong too" she voiced out loud giving them a slight squeeze. Aphrodite pulled him to her and brought Percy's right arm down between her breasts before leaning close to his ear. Percy hadn't noticed before because he was so captivated by Aphrodite's face but now that he got a good at her he saw that her bust was larger than usual. He never really paid attention to the size of women's breasts before. He was still a guy so it couldn't be helped from time to time, but because Annabeth was such a jealous and possessive girlfriend he tried to avoid upsetting her. That's not to mention that of all the rest of his close friends only Jason and Leo understood the appeal. Percy had to admit though that there was certainly a lot to enjoy.

Quickly averting his eyes back to her face, he saw her violet eyes sparkle with mirth and a teasing smile adorned her mouth. Her lips were full and he could tell that if she gave a pouty smile he'd be putty in her hands.

"Mmm do you like what you see my brave hero" she asked getting even closer to his ear with every word. "You can have them all you know" she whispered softly sending tingles down his body. Aphrodite took her free hand and started lightly stroking up and down his chest in a provocative manner. "Maybe I should be the one to claim you though. We could be so good together Percy" she said in an innocent schoolgirl voice. "Just you and me. You'd do anything for me, right? I promise you'll have the time of your life." Aphrodite licked the outside of his ear erotically causing Percy's knees to shake.

Just as he was about to give into his animal instincts though and claim her body for himself a voice spoke loudly ruining the mood.

"Aphrodite!" Poseidon roared. "Enough of this! Stop charmspeaking my son at once and step away from him."

Percy blinked his eyes a few times before coming out of some kind of trance he didn't even know he was in. "What?" the demigod asked disoriented. "Was I really about to just do that?" he asked out loud finally realizing the testosterone and adrenaline that pumped throughout his body. Poseidon frowned at his son while Aphrodite giggled as if she heard the funniest thing.

"You were indeed my hero" she said calming down from her fit of giggles. "And I have to say that if you followed through with your desires it would indeed have been a magical night for the both of us."

Percy felt his face flush red in embarrassment before speaking. "Wait!" he said and composed himself. "You charmspoke me? But why?" he asked with genuine heat in his voice. This was just another way the gods could manipulate him and he'd had enough of that for one day.

Aphrodite ignored the anger though and gave another round of giggles before answering.

"I needed to know what kind of woman you prefer to marry. Looks are one thing and I can determine a person's physical attractiveness preferences fairly easily as my appearance will change to match their desires. But personality? That requires a bit more effort on my part as I have to really examine what a person truly wants through behavior. Your father knew what I was doing though I do have to admit even I was surprised when I saw how far you wanted to take things. I would have been more than happy to indulge you too" she purred.

Poseidon cleared his throat at the not so subtle implication Aphrodite was making. He wasn't one to get nervous around his kids like some of the other gods but this was definitely too awkward a moment for any father.

"Erm… yes… well did you get what you needed Aphrodite?" the God of the Seas asked.

"I did indeed Poseidon. I know exactly what kind of wife we should look for him." Aphrodite turned to face Percy once more and purred again. "You actually managed to ignore my charmspeak in the beginning for a few moments my hero; you have grown strong indeed. Only a very select few can manage to resist me for any amount of time" she said with a hint of pride as if Percy was her newest project and he was already off to a great start.

"I will take good care of you don't worry. When next we meet, I expect you to be quite the ladies man." With those parting words, she stepped back and vanished in a puff of perfume causing both Percy and Poseidon to cough.

"Wai-" Percy began but the Goddess of Love was already gone.

Looking back at his father he felt his face go red again. Both men avoided looking each other in the eyes until Poseidon cleared his throat.

"So," Percy began, "any new fish in the sea?" he said hoping to clear the uncomfortable silence. Meeting each other's gazes they both broke down laughing at the horrible ice breaker. Percy had meant the question literally but after the whole arranged marriage discussion and Aphrodite's actions it was impossible not to take it for the hidden meaning.

Poseidon stood up straight and patted Percy on the back then directing them both outside the throne room and towards the elevator. Percy smiled back to his dad before thinking about what kind of woman he would get stuck with. Strangely enough, he trusted Aphrodite completely with the choice. Love was her domain after all and with how she reacted towards everything in the meeting he couldn't help but think she wouldn't do him wrong. And the fact his father would help out only reinforced his mindset.

"I really wish I knew what kind of woman she is going to pick for me" Percy said melancholy after a few minutes walking.

"Even if you had asked I doubt she would have told you" Poseidon said. "She wants it to be a surprise I believe. I overheard her mumbling to herself about shocking you with love."

Percy felt a shiver at that and frowned briefly.

"Don't worry though," Poseidon continued, "I will be sure it will be a sensible choice. One truly worthy of you my son. I'm thinking of an Angel personally. Someone kind and caring and can be respectful in public; who is strong and a good fighter and will have your back. Yet she will need that wild side just like the sea. What's that mortal saying? 'A lady in the streets but a freak in the sheets?' Yes, that would be a good choice if I can find her."

Percy felt his face heat up again with embarrassment and tried to chuckle off the awkward suggestion.

"Erm… ok" was all he could say. Poseidon let out a bellow of a laugh at his son. They had been walking for a few minutes and finally reached the elevator doors.

"It's time to go now Percy" Poseidon said. "Don't forget to tell your friends. They might not need to know about all the details, but at a minimum they should know you are leaving for a long time. Possibly for the rest of your and their lives."

Percy frowned again but he knew that his father was right. In all honesty, he knew deep down that this would be a permanent change and this would probably be the last time he saw his friends again. In person at least. He could always still Iris message them or maybe have Nico visit.

"As for the ones you are closest too, the seven, Artemis' Lieutenant, the son of Hades and the daughter of Bellona, you can tell them everything as I imagine you will want them at the wedding. However, you must make them swear to not say anything without the Council's permission. It could prove disastrous if this information was leaked out before we want it to."

Nodding his head in agreement Percy realized the implications and consequences if someone were to find out something they shouldn't. It could have fatal repercussions for not one but three different pantheons. Percy felt the weight of his burden increase even more with that comprehension.

They had been standing in front of the elevator doors and Percy reached forward to press the button to summon the elevator to take him to the New York streets below.

Turning back to his father Percy said "I understand dad. I'll be sure everyone swears of the Styx to keep this secret."

Poseidon gave his son an understanding smile. The god knew the burden his son carried and he would try everything he could to make sure his son got a happy life like he deserved. The elevator dinged announcing its arrival and slowly the doors to the mortal world opened up. Percy walked in and pushed the button for the Empire State Building lobby and waved a goodbye to the King of the Seas.

Both father and son were smiling and waving trying to enjoy a few last moments of happiness together before duty called them back to their hard lives. Right as the elevators doors began shutting Poseidon said "Good luck telling your mother!"

Percy froze up as Poseidon kept waving and smiling, though now the smile was wider and the beginnings of laughter could be heard escaping the gods mouth. As the elevator doors shut completely the demigod remained motionless at the prospect of explaining to his mother why he was going to be a married man at seventeen.


	6. Chapter 4: A Somewhat Supportive Family

Chapter 4: A Somewhat Supportive Family

The twelve-minute ride down the elevator left Percy with ample time to get worked up at the prospect of explaining to his mom that they needed to move to Japan mainly because he was on yet another quest for the gods. Or mission. Task? Whatever. He figured his mother would be the amazing supportive woman he had always loved but this was asking for quite a lot from her and he didn't know how his mom would be able to handle it all. Percy didn't really have a choice in the whole matter considering they wouldn't have hesitated to smite him but there might be parts he could use to persuade her to being more agreeable. Or at least not curse every god and goddess in the pantheon. As the elevator reached the bottom floor and opened up into the Empire State Building Percy took a deep breath and began the 15-minute walk from Olympus to his apartment in the Upper East side of Manhattan.

As Percy stepped out into the cool November day he felt the breeze caused by the wind tunnel of the buildings brush against his face. The Empire State Building wasn't nearly as busy as it usually was but considering that it was towards the end of the day he chalked it up to the fact the tours would be ending in a few hours and people would want to head out and grab something to eat. Of course, this was still New York and so people were walking everywhere and the taxis were lined up in early evening traffic. Car horns blared at pedestrians trying to quickly run across the streets before the walk signs changed to the notorious red handprint indicating bystanders needed to wait for traffic. The normal smell of trash and human body odor carried on all sides so there was no escaping the stench. Everywhere there was the sounds of people talking on the phone and music being played out of restaurants and early clubs getting ready for a busy Friday evening. As Percy began his journey back to his apartment he absorbed as much of the familiar sensations of his hometown as he possible could before leaving.

He was lost in his own thoughts just trying to remember all the little details and nuisances of his city when he suddenly found himself in front of his apartment building. It was a pretty standard apartment building for the Upper East Side; a brick building with 15 floors with a spacious amount of room for the apartments. Or at least spacious considering this was New York City. Ever since his mom sold that statue of his horrible ex step-father and finally finished school she had managed to keep quite a bit of money saved up to afford them a bit of luxury after many years of hardships. His mom had finally closed on a book deal to become a published author and Percy couldn't be prouder of her. She had finally achieved her dream and she did it all on her own, just like she always wanted. Plus, Paul brought in quite a bit of money from his teaching job at Goode. Percy had no idea that teaching could be so lucrative but it seems that was mainly just due to the job being in New York.

Outside the building stood the doorman that greeted all the building's residents. A tallish man standing at about 6 foot 2 inches that wore the standard green button-down and black dress pants that was typical of all apartment employees. Robert was a nice older gentleman who remembered everyone's name. It actually freaked Percy out at how good the man's memory was considering he had to have been close to sixty years old. One-time Percy brought Connor and Travis for a visit into the city to "liberate" some candy stores of "excess supplies" and Robert actually remembered the two from a previous excursion for similar purposes.

"Hello young Percy. I hope you are doing quite well on this lovely evening" said an energetic Robert as he rushed to open the door before Percy could.

"Hey Robert. You know how it is. Just another day in the crazy sea that is my life."

Robert gave a slight chuckle thinking Percy was being melodramatic like another teenager might. If he only knew.

"I'm sure it isn't anything too life or death now is it?"

Percy actually let out a loud bellowing laugh for a second at how accurate yet so wrong that statement was. Dealing with the gods was liable to become a life or death situation but considering they only wanted him to get married he supposed it wasn't actually life or death this time. Well so long as he didn't become engaged to some crazy woman hadesbent on killing him. Knowing the tragic past of other Greek heroes, it was actually possible that could happen.

"No, I suppose it isn't at that Robert. Or at least it isn't yet" Percy replied with a slight smirk.

Robert chuckled once again not fully understanding Percy. "Well there you go then. My philosophy is 'what doesn't kill you makes you stronger' and as long as I'm not in life or death situations then I'll always be quite strong. That's what I told my wife when I met her anyways. She saw my muscular physique and agreed. Then she laughed when I took her home for the night about my terrible flirting. Fortunately for me she's a forgiving woman."

Percy nodded his head to Robert's story. He always did enjoy Robert's stories and it didn't seem like many of the other residents took the time to actually get to the know the doorman.

Another resident, a woman in her mid-thirties with flowing brunette hair, walked by Percy and through the doors held open by Robert not even acknowledging either of their presences. She was clicking away on her phone barely paying attention to what was happening in front of her.

"That's some good advice there Robert" Percy lied. He'd been in enough actual life or death situations to know that what doesn't kill you does not always make you stronger. In fact, it makes you a hades lot weaker until you build up that strength.

Robert just nodded along to Percy. "Alright you head on up now young Percy. Your step-dad came in about an hour ago looking as giddy as my grandbaby when she first started school so there must be something exciting happening. You tell that mother of yours hello from old Robert now." For a New Yorker Robert was an extremely personable and a happy guy.

"Absolutely Robert. I'll see you later." And with that Percy walked into his building and up the 6 flights of stairs to his apartment door.

Percy stood outside his door for a few more minutes gathering his thoughts and how to best explain the situation. He was being manipulated by the gods but Athena had also gone out of her way to also manipulate his step-father. Paul had only limited experience with the Greek world and Percy would have preferred to keep it that way but Athena stepped right in with all the arrogance of a goddess and fixed the situation to her own benefit. As usual for a goddess. It grated on Percy at how easily immortals got him to agree to things because they influenced people he loved and cared about. Taking one last deep breath Percy opened the door to his home with his spare housekey and went inside. He walked into a situation he was expecting.

It was a narrow mini hallway between the door and the main area of his apartment but with three quick steps he could see everything. To the left of the doorway was an open doorframe that led to the kitchen. A small area that was condensed to allow mainly one occupant to cook at a time. It had more room in the back half where the actual kitchen table was and dinner was already served. Percy could smell the scents of some kind of baked chicken dish his mother was making to serve for evening meal. It left his mouth watering and stomach grumbling in hunger.

To the right of the apartment entryway was the living room and the area where he and his mom and step-dad mainly interacted together. It was definitely spacious in comparison to the kitchen and had a large window that let in copious amounts of Apollo's light during the day. The black leather couch that Paul brought with him when he moved in after the wedding sat in the center of the room and a glass coffee table was in front of it to provide a place to put food or drink when company was over. The television was directly in front of that on the back wall. Another reclining chair sat to the right side of the couch for more seating when someone wanted more room or a visitor was over. In the far back corner of the room was an oak desk where his mother's notes and computer sat for a work area when she was writing. It was at the perfect angle that his mom could feel the warmth of the daily sun from the window but not provide a glare when she was typing away on her laptop.

Sitting on the couch facing each other were his mother and step-father in a discussion about Paul's new job offer. It was a bit of a heated discussion if the voice level was enough to go by and the flushed appearance on both their faces. Neither noticed Percy when he entered.

"Paul, we just got everything finally all settled here. You finally finished moving in and paying off your previous apartment lease, things are going well in school for Percy considering everything that's happened and I finally got a deal for my book. Not to mention the baby." Sally looked down at her slightly protruding stomach and brought her hand in a rubbing motion as if to soothe the growing baby's worries. Based on what Percy was seeing from how Sally reacted to Paul's news it didn't surprise him that his soon-to-arrive sister was acting up on his mom's emotions. There was probably a lot of emotional feedback Sally was experiencing from the baby. It had only been four months since they announced they were going to have a baby.

Paul nodded his head and had a slight grimace on his face at seeing Percy's mom upset. Percy could tell it was clearly not Paul's intention though, if he had to guess, Percy would say that Paul was too excited when first explaining it.

"I know Sally, I know. But this is a once in a lifetime opportunity that thousands of teachers from all over the world are turned down for. I applied like I have done every year for the last decade and they chose me. Me! Out of thousands and thousands of applications they picked me. I know this might seem like a difficult situation but we can make it work. I will do everything in my power to ensure that this goes smoothly and we don't have any problems. I'm sure the publishers are willing to work with you on your book based on the feedback you received and the healthcare is just as good if not better in Japan so we won't need to worry about the baby. Plus, with schooling, Percy will be going to a world renown school that has students from all over the world attending. They accept a lot of international transfer students so he can fit right in and get a great education there."

With every point that Paul was making he was getting more and more excited again. The smile on his face was infectious that even Percy had to give a light chuckle at. His brief laughter brought the attention of his parents and he started making his way over to the couch to sit by his mother's side.

Sally Jackson-Blofis still was an attractive woman even in her late thirties. Her brown chestnut hair was cut shoulder length and she still had slightly bouncy curls she's maintained since she was a teenager based on the photos of her younger years. Blue eyes that always made Percy feel safe and loved looked from her husband to her son and she gave Percy a big hug that brought a content sigh from the demigod's mouth. A few years ago, he would have pushed his mom away and claimed something about being too old for hugs but after almost losing her to Hades when he was twelve and then not even remembering her for almost a year when Hera took his memories Percy realized he wanted to hug his mom every chance he could.

"Hey baby" Sally said with smile on her face. "Did you have a good day?"

Percy could tell his mom wanted to stop the conversation with Paul for a moment so Percy gave a bit more detail than he might have normally.

"Yeah it was a pretty good day. Mrs. Hamlin's class is still a pain and I'm pretty sure my art teacher wanted to just give me a coloring book and tell me to draw in the lines after she looked at my painting. You'd think that being a son of the seas I'd be pretty good at painting with watercolors considering they're partially water but it seems I missed that gene. She couldn't tell my mountain nature scene was a mountain nature scene but I suppose in her defense I couldn't even tell what it was when I finished either."

Percy laughed again trying to make light of his difficulties but his mom just hugged him tighter and whispered sweet words of encouragement in his ear. He might suck at school but he was still her hero.

After a few more seconds of motherly affection Percy peeled away slightly and looked back at Paul. He was once again eager to continue talking about the job offer. His mother, sensing another round of discussion with Paul, just gave a sigh and turned back to her husband to begin again.

"Percy I'm glad you're back. Now that you're home I can really go into the details of the job offer." He looked between Percy and Sally and kept nodding his head energetically. Percy couldn't help smiling and nodded back. Even if the offer was manipulated by the gods at least some good came out of it. He'd never seen Paul so happy in the time they'd lived together. The only other time that came close was the actual wedding day between the two.

"Alright Paul let's here the offer. I remember that lady said it was in Japan?" he asked to start the conversation off.

"Yes, that's right" Paul said. "It's in a town called Kuoh Town in Japan and the school is called Kuoh Academy. It's a really great school Percy. World renown. They of course have a lot of Japanese students but they've been known to take in people from all over the world. A big student transfer population. They'd help you learn in both English and Japanese and you'd get one of the best educations in the country. It's definitely better than Goode and at Goode you'd be getting one of the best educations in the state."

"What about my dyslexia and ADHD?" Percy interrupted Paul's rambling. "I mean I'm trying to overcome that but I don't want to be singled out like when I was younger. I've had enough of people calling me stupid in my life recently."

Sally merely frowned at her son. Percy of course told her what had happened and been furious with the daughter of Athena. She knew her son wasn't the smartest but he did his best and that was all Sally ever wanted from her boy. Plus, Percy had many other fine qualities other than pure intelligence that made him a great person and a great son.

"Well there's no worries there Percy. They won't single you out or anything. I know for a fact that they offer classes to students to help overcome these types of situations. I can arrange for you to join those classes and you'll be in with other students who have similar problems." Paul didn't say disability. If there was one thing he's learned since living with his wife and now step-son it was that Percy was far from helpless. Sure, the dyslexia made things tough but Percy worked hard to get better and he has. Some one on one time with Paul had majorly impacted the demigod and he was much better at reading and writing than he once was. It was still difficult and his writing was sloppy but it was major improvement from when the two had first met.

Sally interrupted this time. "I'm glad that Percy can get the help he needs but what about everything else? I just closed a book deal Paul. Finally. I'm getting my chance to finally become a published author."

Percy leaned closer to his mom and wrapped an arm around her back and pulled closer to her. He knew how important it was to her to get her dream and he would do what he could to make it happen if he could.

Paul smiled at her again. "I know Sally. I called your publisher on the way home and asked if you had to be here in person to work with them. They said that they prefer face to face contact but that it wasn't necessary. They really liked your story so I doubt they'd just pull the plug on you. And, you already have a signed contract with them. If I remember correctly there wasn't anything in there that said you had to be in the US in order for them to actual publish the story. When I was talking to the assistant it seemed like she had read part of your story too and was describing to me how good it was and how the editors absolutely loved it. We can make this work. I know we can."

Paul's earnest pleading made it hard not to give way to his argument. Percy was seeing the benefits of the situation but Sally was still firm in her desire to stay though he could see the slight wavering in her staunchness.

"But this is our home. We've built up so much here in the time we've been here Paul. And the baby…" Sally once again laid her hand down on her protruding stomach. "Our baby girl won't grow up here in her home country. I… I don't…"

It was at this point that Percy could see the misty tears forming in his mom's eyes. She was trying to cling to any hope she could to prevent their moving.

Paul, it seemed, also noticed this because he leaned forward to give his wife a hug. She let a few tears trickle down her face as she buried it into his neck and embraced his warmth and comfort. Percy at this point scooched away from his mom though still maintained a close distance to her. He might be glad she was happy and she met Paul but that didn't mean he was overly thrilled watching the display of intimate affection between the two. There were just some things that he didn't need to imagine.

"Sally" Paul began quietly. The energy from his earlier arguments was transforming into a serious tone that led Percy to believe that he was coming to his main point. "They're gonna pay for everything Sally. We can take our car, all our furniture, everything in the apartment. The doctors and healthcare in Japan are just as amazing if not better than here. Our baby will be perfectly safe and healthy and she'll have the best we can give her. We'll have a house Sally. An actual home. How long have you been saying you've always wanted to live in an actual home? We can live great lives there with everything we've ever needed or wanted. They're gonna pay me more than I could ever make here. You won't need to take the advance the publisher is offering for the book deal. It's honestly all we've dreamed about. Won't you please consider it at least?"

Sally was quietly crying in full force at this point. Paul was still hugging her and Percy slowly reached his hand forward and rubbed his mom's back in a circular pattern. Just like she used to do for him when he was upset he was now returning the favor.

"Of course, I'll consider Paul. Just give me some time tonight and I'll let you know in the morning." Sally pleaded softly.

"Absolutely. It's all I ask given how big the decision is. You know already how we have to give the answer in the morning so I'll give you some space for now. I love you dear."

"I love you too Paul" Sally said back. She had calmed down enough that her tears had dried and her eyes were merely puffy and red.

With that Paul rose to his feet and announced "I'm gonna run to the little men's room really quick then how about we eat some of that delicious smelling dinner you made. I can already imagine how fantastic it's tasting and my mouth is watering."

Percy chuckled at the slightly awkward statement and leaned back on the couch to allow room for Paul to squeeze between him and the coffee table. Sally was already leaning back against the cushions and when Percy leaned back too she slide over so she was next to him and rested her head against his shoulder. Taking his left hand in her right she made circular motions with her thumb on the last knuckle of his thumb and just basked in his closeness. Then she asked him his opinion.

"What do you think about it all Percy? I know things have been tough around here lately with… everything but this is going to impact your life in a huge way too. I don't want to uproot you unnecessarily."

Percy rested his head on top of his mother's already leaning on his shoulder and took a deep breathe. How did he feel about everything? Honestly it sounded like a great deal and if he was honest he didn't have too much tying him down here other than his duties at camp and his friends. Any mortal friend he had wasn't that close so it wouldn't be too tough to explain that he was moving and he'd try to stay in touch. Granted he didn't have a phone and was rarely on the internet due to him being a demigod and attracting monsters so he doubted he'd maintain a close relationship with them. However, it was all pretty much a moot point as he didn't have any say in whether he was going or not now. The gods made it clear he was going.

"Honestly mom" Percy began "I think it could be a good opportunity. I don't really have anything tying me here anymore and it's not like we have tons of friends that we'd miss if we left. I mean ya I'll miss everyone from the camps but I'm not close to anyone in the mortal world and I don't see you "going out with the girls" every weekend." Percy added air quotes to his going out with the girls comment that brought a brief chuckle from his mom before going back to holding her hand. He initiated the thumb rubbing this time. "Who knows? Maybe this school could actually help me get better. I know I'm not the smartest guy but it'd be nice for people to not think me stupid for once and if getting help from these teachers will help me get better than I'm all for it. I just want to make you proud."

Sally let a few more tears stream down her face from her son's words before turning to face him and gently grabbing his face and looking right at him.

"Now you listen to me young man, I am so incredibly proud of you and I always have been. You try so hard and you are such an amazing boy. It doesn't matter to me if you're Einstein or you work at the hardware store as long as you tried your best and you are happy. That's all I ever wanted for you Percy. You don't need to be the smartest man and don't ever let anyone tell you that you aren't good enough. You are so talented Percy and you are a hero to so many. You've saved the world, twice now! I'm so proud to be your mom and I love you Percy."

Percy felt tears of his own start to form in his own eyes at what his mom was saying. It wasn't often that he ever heard that people were proud of him and even though he's always known his mother loved him it was still nice to hear.

"I love you too mom" he said embracing her in another hug. "As long as you can still publish your book and you feel comfortable than I don't think moving is such a bad idea. We've lived a long time in this city and maybe a change in scenery might be good for us."

It was at this point that Sally could tell something was off. Percy loved the city, there was no denying that, so to hear how he was ready to move so easily gave her an indication there was something wrong. She was attentive to her son and his slight clenching of his hand and the tension now on the shoulder she was leaning on was a clear indication that he had more to say.

"Is there something else?" Sally asked him. "Where were you earlier anyway when Paul got home? I thought you were getting a ride back from him?"

Now Percy had always been told that he was like his father in that his attitude could be like the sea. One-minute perfectly calm and happy and the next it was like a switched flipped and he was angry and tempestuous. But at this moment both Poseidon and Percy put the term mood swing to shame as Sally glared daggers at her son with the questions.

Percy took his free hand and ran it through his hair maintaining his wind-swept look he was known for and gave a hesitant laugh. The next part of the conversation was not going to be pleasant.

"Uh… haha… well you see mom I had a run in with Hermes as Paul was about to take us home. I thought it might be the usual situation where he needed me to run an Amazon package for someone."

Sally nodded her head as that had come up a few number of times since he got his license. However, she could sense the but coming and encouraged him to speak on.

"So, I was joking with him like always" Percy began trying to procrastinate the difficult part but Sally cut him off.

"What did he want Percy?"

"Umm… well the gods needed me for something so I had to make a quick stop on Olympus. You know how they are." Outside the apartment window a crash of thunder could be heard on the clear evening. Sally was slowly getting more and more worried as Percy didn't just say what it was that was needed.

"Ok which ones needed help this time?" she asked somewhat bitterly. She'd already lost time with her baby and was already dreading what was coming next.

"All of them." Percy said bluntly.

"What?" Sally said with a higher pitched voice. "All of them? What did they want?" She whispered the last question already knowing that it was probably something crazy and ridiculous. The council never agreed on anything and if they had somehow managed to come together for this decision it would probably be huge. She really didn't want to know, Percy could tell, but it would be much worse if he just showed up one day with a woman next to him and announced they were getting married.

Percy took another deep breath. He silently cursed his father for leaving this all to himself and decided to just take a roundabout way with the announcement.

"They had another mission for me. Not a quest this time so I don' have to visit Rachel but something important. They said it would save the lives of demigods though I don't see that as actually being true. Maybe they were just trying to paint a rosy picture over the situation. I need to go to Japan and uh find someone. A woman to be more exact. Then make sure that things run smoothly between us. I guess she's supposed to be from another pantheon. Athena said it was Christians I would be interacting with."

Sally blinked her eyes a few times trying to absorb the statement. Percy saw that she knew there was undertone that he glossed over. He prayed to anyone he could think of that she would drop it but sometimes he just really had the worst luck.

"Japan? But why Japan? And why are you interacting with another pantheon? Are there even other pantheons that exist? And why you? Nobody else could have done this? Is that why Paul got the job offer?" As Sally progressed her questions further she was getting angrier and angrier. Percy felt her bitterness as he knew the feeling quite well but there wasn't anything he could do. Instead of feeding her anger, he tried to calm things down and explain rationally. Or at least as rationally as was explained to himself.

"Well to answer your last question first, I'm afraid that yes the offer Paul got was because of the gods. It's a legitimate offer if what Athena told me was accurate. Besides it seemed that Paul genuinely applied for the program so it's not like it's fabricated. Try thinking of it in a good way. This is Paul's dream job and the gods helped him get it. They can be difficult to deal with but it seems this time something really good came out of it." Outside another rumble of thunder cracked the night skies. The sun had almost finished setting by now and the stars were beginning to shine in the night. Artemis and Apollo were sharing the atmosphere as to the west Apollo was almost over the horizon and in the east Artemis was beginning her ascension with the moon. Percy's attempt to look on the bright side fell flat as Sally only got more upset.

"First they drag you into all their problems and now they want to uproot all our lives because of some situation?" she all but yelled. Paul was still in the bathroom so Percy didn't know if he heard her but if his mom's voice continued getting louder he definitely would. Sally's face was getting red and she tried standing up from the couch but her slightly pregnant belly made it difficult to stand by herself. As she began to get up Percy pulled her back and gave her another hug. He hated when the things from his Greek life affected his mom but he didn't know what else he could do.

Sally's hair fell in front of her face and she blew the bangs out of her eyes before huffing and turning back to Percy. "What is this deal with another pantheon then? Are the Greeks and Romans not getting along or something?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. The Greeks and Romans have never been stronger and Jason's doing a great job getting all the minor gods and goddess all squared away. Or he was last time I talked to him. The gods are mainly looking for some kind of alliance with the Christians I guess. I'm supposed to help improve relations between the two groups considering how well I did with the Greeks and Romans."

"Didn't Leo fire on New Rome and then Octavian whip everyone up in a war frenzy and march to Camp?" Sally asked.

"Umm… yes… however that was due to Gaia's influence and once that was all sorted out we got along great. I mean I beat up a few people in both camps but they were mainly great. No major bloodshed or anything. I guess the gods consider that a success."

"Why Christians though? And why in Japan? The head of the Christian churches would be in either Rome, the middle east like Jerusalem or Istanbul or Antioch, or even London for the Catholic, Orthodox, or Anglican churches' leaders. It seems like such a random place."

Percy just looked at his mother with a blank expression. He knew the Pope was in Rome but didn't really know about the others. He was Greek for Hades sake so he never really put much thought into other religions. Even after his encounter with the Egyptians and Annabeth telling him about her cousin and the Norse he just kind of chalked it all up to religion being religion.

"Well my guess is that the old world still wouldn't be good for me with my scent. I mean after experiencing the craziness of Rome firsthand I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't want me going back there. All they explained to me was that there was a lot of activity recently in Japan that made it for an ideal spot. I guess the places around the US just weren't active enough for what they wanted."

Sally clicked her teeth in annoyance. She was still angry but at least she was hearing him out now. He was still dreading telling her about the actual task set out for him.

"Why do they want an alliance anyways? Are they worried about another attack?" She looked worried at the thought of another war that would put her son in danger once again. Percy chuckled at her face seeing it twist between worry and annoyance. One second she was furious with the gods and the next she was scared for her son. It brought a warm sensation to his heart knowing how much his mother cared. Other demigods had some rough childhoods from both their parents so Percy knew how fortunate he was with his mom.

"Dad said it was to try and incorporate the two groups. I guess they wanted to help the demigods by bringing in strong allies in case another war does happen." Percy felt a bit bad about not telling his mom that "God" was dead but he didn't really want to find out his mom's reaction. She was like him and believed in the Greek pantheon but that didn't mean she wanted to upset an entity from another pantheon if it was possible he/she might exist. He thought his mom would be able to pick up on the lie but if she did she didn't comment on it. Sally just nodded her head while turning her eyes downwards.

It was quiet for a few moments before she gave another huff and lifted her head once more. Percy could feel Paul running the water in the bathroom sink washing his hands now and hoped the old man could help Percy with a distraction. Unfortunately, Percy's bad luck streak continued when her mom asked the question he was really dreading.

"So, what exactly do you need to do with the Pantheon? You said something about a woman? Do you have to return her to them or something?"

Percy felt his face flush with blood running to it trying to think of any good way to break this news. Sadly, he couldn't so instead he decided to mumble it. Paul was still running the water so it drowned out some of the noise.

"Uhh no… I don't need to return her or anything like that. Actually, I need to mar-" and Percy's words were garbled at that point. Sally frowned before yelling to her husband. If Percy wasn't absolutely sure his mom was upset before he was now as she almost never raised her voice to anyone.

"Paul will you stop washing your hands now?! Gods you should have been a surgeon with how thorough you're being."

At his mom's loud yell, the water stopped in the bathroom and footsteps could be heard walking up to the door. Sally looked again at Percy expectantly.

"Now what is it you need to do? I didn't hear that before."

Percy was silent for a moment as the bathroom door opened and Paul started to walk out. He took a deep breath and just gave up on putting it off. He knew his mom was going to be upset so he figured it would be better to get it over with.

"Well you see… now don't get the wrong idea or anything… it's not like I asked for this but… I'm supposed to marry her."

Silence filled the room. Paul had finally arrived from the hallway but it didn't look like he heard what Percy said. However, Sally clearly did this time and based on her face Paul knew it was one of those moments a husband needs to shut up and let his wife have a moment. And Sally definitely had a moment before Percy experienced the blow up he expected the entire time.

"MARRY!" she yelled. "MARRY! WHAT DO YOU MEAN MARRY! YOU JUST GOT OUT OF A RELATIONSHIP AND NOW THEY WANT YOU TO DO WHAT? BE SOME KIND OF BARGAINING CHIP?"

Percy mumbled about how "that's exactly what it's like" but Sally just rode over him with her shrieks.

"WE DON'T LIVE IN THE MIDDLE AGES ANYMORE GODSDAMNIT! WHAT KIND OF GAME ARE THEY PLAYING? HAVEN'T YOU HELPED THEM ENOUGH WITH THEIR WARS! HAVEN'T YOU EARNED SOME DAMN PEACE!" Sally's angry rant broke off at the end as she started sobbing uncontrollably. Yup, exactly like Percy thought it would go.

"And your f-father" she stuttered between heartbreaking sobs, "he just went along with it? That's it? You're som-some ki-k-kind of piece in a ga-game for him to use that h-h-helps him out the best?"

At this point Paul had rushed over and hugged his mom. Sally leaned into his embrace once more and let more tears cover his now dry shirt again. Percy felt awful for putting his mom through this but he didn't really know what else he could do. He technically already agreed to it so it wasn't like he could just back out now.

Percy waited patiently for his mom's sobbing and wails to subside before reaching out and squeezing her hand. She turned away from Paul and grabbed him in a big hug before letting the last few tears streak down her face and into his hair.

"If it's any help I think dad was about to go to war with everyone over the decision. He made it pretty clear that he didn't agree with it but was overruled by the other eleven I guess. The only reason that he even agreed was because of Aphrodite."

Sally pulled back slightly before looking questioningly at her son. She still had a dejected look on her face at his seemingly arranged fate but Percy could see a little hope in her eyes. He nodded his head to her unasked question.

"According to Aphrodite my soulmate is supposed to be over there somewhere. She's going to try and make sure the woman of the marriage pact is her. Along with dad of course. And thank the gods for small miracles like that because if it was almost anyone else I can only imagine what she'd look like."

Percy was trying to inject some humor into the conversation and his efforts were paid off with a small laugh from Paul but his mom still looked at him with sadness.

"You don't have to do this Percy" she said. "Nobody can force you and I'll fight every one of them if I have to."

Percy laughed at the image of his mom trying to fight off the likes of Artemis or Zeus. She had some cookie sheet in her hand and a pencil for writing her story in the other with a crazed look in her eye as she chased the almighty King of the Heavens. Zeus was running away from her yelling like a little child about not getting what he wanted. It was a humorous idea and one that would be completely the opposite of what would happen.

He just nodded his head to his mom before responding. "I know mom. But I don't want any more wars to breakout or anything to happen to you guys. Plus, if what Aphrodite said is true then I'm supposed to find my one true love over there. I think it could be a good thing. I mean no I didn't predict this or ask for it but maybe after everything with Annabeth this is for the best. Aphrodite promised me happiness. After everything… I just want to be happy. Is it so wrong for me to want that?"

"Oh Percy" Sally said back. "What did we just talk about a few minutes ago? I don't want you to settle for just anyone because it's convenient. I do want you to be happy baby. If anyone deserves it in this life it's you. But happiness isn't something just given to you. You have to make it yourself."

The three family members just settled back into the couch after that final piece was said. It was an emotionally draining conversation and nobody had anything further to add. As if set to a bad sitcom all three of their stomachs made a grumbling noise at the same time. They all looked down at their bellies before looking back at each other and laughing. It was the desperate laugh of people clinging to even the worst joke to bring sunshine to their lives and it was a necessary one. As one they all made their way to the kitchen table and Sally filled their plates with the chicken dish.

It was a quiet dinner by most standards in the Jackson-Blofis residence but all attempts at conversation was either ignored or met with terse one-word answers from everyone. Percy tried commentating on just how good the meal was and Sally gave a brief smile to her son but no words actually came out. Paul tried asking Percy about how his mortal friends Dana and Tom were doing but he just responded with a simple "fine" and went back to eating. Nobody it seemed wanted to address the two giant elephants in the room but as dinner winded down it was impossible to ignore anymore.

"Percy" Sally began as Paul started gathering the dishes and bringing them to the sink, "are you sure you really want to do this? You're only seventeen and been in one major relationship and only had a few other dates besides that. There's plenty of women out there that you can choose to date yourself."

Percy nodded his head in response. He didn't say it verbally because he was afraid of what might actually come out of his mouth but he had similar thoughts himself. It's hard to just ignore major doubts and if he didn't plough through it right now he was afraid of the repercussions.

Sally stared at him as if searching for hidden truths that even Percy didn't know. In all honesty his mother probably could find his secrets and doubts considering how close their relationship is but she turned her head to look at Paul as he grabbed her dinner plate. She took a deep breath and laid her hand on his as he reached for the plate and Paul looked at her. His mom just nodded her head before slowly standing up.

"Do you mean it?" Paul asked Sally. "You're really ok with this? As much as I love you and Percy and the new baby I want you to be really sure."

Sally just looked at Paul and gave a heartwarming smile before answering. "I'm sure Paul. It sounds like a great offer and as long as the publishers are ok with my leaving then I don't think there will be any problems. It seems the gods have already given Percy his choice and he's agreed so as long as we can all be happy together that's all I care about."

Percy could tell that his mom directed that last part to him so he just smiled along with her while Paul gave an audible whoop and fist pumping the air. It was a ridiculous sight from a middle-aged man and both Percy and Sally laughed. A real laugh this time with genuine happiness for the respective husband and step-father.

"Thank you both so much. I know how crazy it might all be but you have no idea how much this means to me" he said. Paul gave Sally a big kiss and led her to the couch to watch television while Percy turned down the hallway to his room.

His room was decently sized with a bed, a desk for his homework, a few books on Greek mythology in actual Greek that he borrowed from camp. In a pile in the corner was a stack of laundry that mixed clean and dirty clothes and he had posters of his favorite bands covering the walls. Led Zeppelin and The Eagles were on one side while AC/DC and Def Leppard hung on the other and by the window with the fire escape leading outside hung more modern bands like The Killers and Green Day. Percy heaved a heavy sigh before collapsing on his bed letting his thoughts wander.

 _Well that couldn't have gone much differently_ he thought to himself. _She practically challenged the gods with her yelling and we're lucky Zeus didn't notice._ Percy acknowledged that it did seem odd that just when his mom actually started getting angry at the gods the telltale sign of thunder showing their displeasure didn't show up. _Maybe dad did help after all_ he thought.

He also couldn't believe that his mom actually swore. In all his life he could remember only one other time when she cursed aloud and that was mainly an accident because she hurt herself and it was a reflex reaction. Even when they lived with Gabe she never cursed him or swore when Percy was around. It was a little shocking but given the circumstances he couldn't really blame his mom. It's not every day that your son comes home and explains that his godly father is setting up an arranged marriage for him with a biblical being.

Percy could hear the laughing coming from the other room as his mom and Paul found something on the TV that was funny. He could really use some funny in his life right now after everything and got up to go join when he realized he had a few more people to break the news to. Groaning from the effect of contacting everyone he knew that it needed to be done. Standing up he found the prism he used to make a rainbow and shined the light from a flashlight he had set up for long term Iris calls before fishing for a few drachmas.

 _Who to contact first?_ He thought. He needed to speak to everyone at Camp Half-Blood as he was leader there but the general population didn't need to know the specific details. Just that he was going on a mission and probably wouldn't be back. It was something he would have to say in person but he needed to set that up first. After that? Well he'd contact the others the gods authorized and would arrange a meet-up at Camp Jupiter since most of them were already on the west coast and he needed to head there to actually travel to Japan anyways. Nico would have to shadow travel there but everyone else was already there. Thalia was somewhere in northern California with the Hunters if he remembered correctly based on their last Iris message last week and they were planning on staying in the vicinity for some time.

Deciding it was best to set-up the meeting with Chiron he spoke the words he learned five years ago, prayed to the goddess he recently met and threw the drachma into the rainbow. It sailed in and disappeared.

"Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Chiron at Camp Half-Blood." Just for added measure he also said "hey Fleecy! I hope you're doing alright. If it's you on duty do you mind helping a guy out?"

A low girly chuckle was heard through the rainbow letting Percy know he was indeed being helped by Fleecy. A moment later the translucence of the rainbow shimmered into a picture of his mentor and trainer Chiron. He was clearly expecting some kind of call from Percy as when Percy spoke his father-figure stared at him with a proud but hesitant look on his face.

"Percy" the legendary centaur began, "it's good to see you. I'm assuming this is about your meeting on Olympus earlier?"

Percy heaved a sigh of relief at knowing the centaur already knew about the meeting and probably already knew about his situation. It certainly saved some awkward explaining on Percy's part and he'd already done that enough for one night. Instead he nodded his head solemnly.

"Hey Chiron. Yeah, it's about the meeting. Did the gods already tell you?"

Chiron nodded his head. "Yes, I already know. Mr. D. explained the situation before Aphrodite came down bragging about how she was looking forward to finding someone for you. They said you'd be meeting with the others and explain the situation."

Only slightly perturbed by Aphrodite's action Percy agreed quickly. "I'm going to have to tell everyone that I'm going away. Without actually answering any questions mind you. I was wondering if we could set up a time to do it? I know it's in the middle of the school year but I don't know when exactly they want me to move yet."

"Well considering the Japanese start their school year on April 1st I think you have some time before you actually move. Aphrodite made brief mention of you going over sometime in the beginning of the next year so she had some time to find someone suitable. I think it might be appropriate for you to address everyone during the Christmas break when more campers than the year-rounders are here. That way any chance for questions are asked and the majority of the counselors are here."

Percy nodded his head in agreement. "I didn't even ask about the timing so I'm glad to find out. I just figured it was going to be a quick thing. I'm allowed to tell the Seven, Nico, Reyna and Thalia the truth so I planned on breaking the news to them at Camp Jupiter. How do you think they'll react Chiron?"

He honestly wanted to know what his mentor thought about the situation and was eager for the response. Chiron scrunched his eyebrows together before responding. It was perhaps a bit blunter than Percy was used to hearing from the deft trainer.

"I think they'll wish you luck of course. Though I'm sure they'll be relieved it isn't them who has to do this. I honestly don't know what would have happened if it _was_ any of the others. Frankly I wasn't sure how you were going to react given everything that happened with Annabeth."

Percy smiled in a self-deprecating way before answering. "I already had my breakdown Chiron. Once more I'm the pawn of the council. It's just this time I might actually be getting something good out of it. Paul got a really great deal and it's his dream job. My mom can finally live in a house and have everything she always wanted. And I guess I can find my soulmate. I suppose I have to look at the bright side in all of this.

Chiron smiled at Percy's optimism. It was tough putting on a brave face but Percy could see the proud look in his mentor's eyes.

"You are an extraordinary demigod Percy. I understand the true difficulties this must place on you but one thing I do know is that there isn't a single other demigod in this generation more suited to this task than you. You've already brought the Greeks and Romans together. I have no doubts in my mind you can do the same thing here. You are by far one of the most amazing individuals I have ever met Percy."

Percy felt his face grow red with slight embarrassment. Chiron was a disciplined mentor and trainer and gave praise when it was due. But to be acknowledge as one of his best students, especially with the millennia of tutoring he's done, was very high praise indeed. Percy just stammered a quick thank you in response.

"Alright so I'll plan on joining camp the week of Christmas break and telling the campers then. Thanks Chiron. I… uh… appreciation your kind words. I'll see you soon." He could hear a low chuckle from the centaur as he disconnected the message.

Now that the main gathering was set up he needed to call his individual friends and arrange the meet up at Camp Jupiter. He didn't know the exact day they would do it yet but if he laid the groundwork it would only make things easier when the actual time to set the day arrived. So, with another sigh Percy grabbed another drachma from his pocket and made the standard request.

"Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, and hopefully someone who won't smite me for the stream of calls I'm about to make in the next few minutes, please accept my offering. Show me Jason Grace in Camp Jupiter."

Once more the rainbow gave way to a shimmering as Percy tossed the bronze currency threw the multicolor and an image of his blonde friend appeared. He was rubbing the crease of his nose with his black framed glasses in his right hand. Looking up Jason slightly jumped before smiling and addressing his friend.

"Percy! How are you doing man?" he asked.

Percy just smiled at Jason and began in what would be a repetitive question and answer for the next few minutes.

"Jason! I'm doing alright. Tell me, do you and Piper have some time for a get together in the Spring between everyone? I've got one hades of a story to tell and you all got to hear it…"

 **Author's Note: Please read.**

 **So, I don't normally do this as I'm not a big fan of author's notes in stories but I think it's necessary for me to explain a few things that people have asked either in PMs or reviews. Hopefully this will clarify some points for everyone.**

 **First, I'd like to thank everyone who has reviewed the story or sent me a PM. All reviews and PMs have been read and responded to accordingly and I really do appreciate everyone's thoughts. To all guests who have reviewed, this includes you but I'm obviously unable to respond due to your guest status. Thank you all.**

 **Second, I am wrapping up the New York/Greek storyline soon. Only two more chapters before Percy is off to the land of the Rising Sun so everyone just hold your horses. The things I'm covering in the beginning part here are important for events that will eventually play out down the line. And to those wondering, no this won't be the last time Percy sees his friends and family. They'll have a presence in what happens later.**

 **Third, this will be a Percy/Multi story. Sorry for all you Percy/Single shippers out there but I have always planned on this being a harem type of story. The whole peerage concept lends itself quite nicely to a harem idea and I've already laid some groundwork for it. You'll see how things develop further in later chapters. To those of you who complain that Percy's fatal flaw of Personal Loyalty would prevent him from being in a harem I disagree with you. The whole point of Percy's loyalty is meant to show that he will go to extremes for those he cares about, even with disregard for his own life. That does not restrict to only one person. Percy's loyal to his mom, and Grover, and Annabeth, and of course the Olympians in canon so to say that his loyalty would prevent him from caring about multiple people is false. Of course, that could create conflict later in the story if, say, two parties that have Percy's loyalties have differences of opinions.**

 **Fourth, I have seen a couple of people now claim that they're not sure about the whole concept of the Olympians being stronger than the Biblical factions. All I have to say to that point is you are relying on the words of the gods. Just because the Olympians say something does not necessarily make it true. Maybe the gods are stronger. Maybe the Factions are stronger. You only have one side to the story right now so don't jump to conclusions. I tried to show that the gods are ignorant with that whole section in chapter 3 about Athena not knowing the details of the Great War between the factions but it seems very few people picked up on it. Ignorance and arrogance are a difficult combination in immortal beings. Hubris is a major flaw for most of the gods.**

 **Fifth, I've had to explain this a couple of times now but hopefully this note clears things up. The Olympians gods are based on PJO canon. NOT DxD! I'm going to write that again for emphasis. The Olympians gods are based on Rick Riordan and PJO! NOT DxD! To everyone who is complaining about how that's not how the gods would react in the DxD world: I know. It's because it's how they would react in the PJO world. I am taking Percy and his pantheon and incorporating it into the DxD plot and world. Percy is the main protagonist of this story so how things are run will mainly be from his experiences.**

 **Sixth, people have complained that how Percy reacted in chapter 3 isn't necessarily how he would react in canon. To that point I'm going to bring up a couple of points that I think might change some minds. Firstly, yes, I know everything that Percy did up to this point; I made specific mention to his feats in Chapter 1 The Candidate. However, lets analyze all those feats briefly.**

 **1) Percy defeats Ares at age 12. Yes, he does. Ares, under the influence of Kronos and acting abnormally, accepts Percy's challenge to a fight where he stupidly battles him on a beach where Percy is at his strongest. Ares vastly underestimates Percy due to this fact and he is consistently distracted by the mortals that are surrounding the beach. Did Percy win? Yes, and he deserved it. Would it have resulted in a win at any other time? Highly unlikely.**

 **2) Percy travels the Sea of Monsters, saves Grover and retrieves the Golden Fleece. Again, let's look closer. Percy and Annabeth engage in a Hydra that would have killed them had Clarisse not intervened. Then, Percy is changed into a gerbil and is needed to be rescued by Annabeth. On the island Percy does not even kill Polyphemus which results in his ship being destroyed from Clarisse's taunting. Lastly, after getting on shore in Florida they run into Luke who captures them and is saved by Chiron and the Party Ponies.**

 **3) Does Percy hold up the world? Yes, and it's extremely difficult and he gets credit for it. However, it was after he challenged Atlas and get's his ass handed to him thoroughly. After defeating Ares, he thought he could defeat Atlas and he loses. So as back up he takes the weight of the sky from Artemis. While Artemis might respect him for realizing he can't win the fight that does not lessen the sting from the fact he challenged the titan and lost. Badly.**

 **4) Now let's look at the Labyrinth. Percy actually doesn't do a lot during the travels of the Labyrinth. They first meet Hera and Janus: no fighting there. They come across Briaries and Kampe: whom he doesn't actually fight here. Annabeth pisses off the Sphinx but that fight is by Grover using his woodland magic to trap the monster and then Tyson throwing her machine at her. She doesn't actually die and they leave the monster. I admit that the Mt. St. Helens situation was all Percy though. That was badass in canon so he gets credit here. Along with the fight against Antaeus. That was all him. But the Battle back in Camp Half-Blood? Sure, he killed a lot of monsters but Kampe was actually defeated by Briaries and the only reason they actually won was because Grover used the power of Pan to scare all the monsters away.**

 **5) The Battle of Manhattan is indeed where a lot of Percy shines through so I'm more than happy to give credit here but only where it's due. Beckendorf is actually the one who destroys the Princess Andromeda so no credit for Percy here. But he does bathe in the Styx so high points. Plus, he defeats Hades so even more credit. Though I will say that there seems to be some kind of law preventing immortals from attacking and fighting people with the curse of Achilles based on what Hermes said on Olympus. Percy does help organize the defense of the island so credit here. But let's look at the three major fights in the book. First, against Hyperion. Percy fights him to standstill but he doesn't defeat him. That honor actually goes to the dozes of satyrs and nymphs that use woodland magic to trap Hyperion in a tree. It couldn't have been done without Percy but he doesn't win the fight himself. Second, he challenges the Lydian Drakon. And I'll add he stupidly does it knowing he can't win because it's only fated to be killed by a child of Ares. I'd give little credit here mainly because he had the balls to challenge anyways. And lastly, his fight with Luke/Kronos. This was actually a bit of a let down for me as most of this fight was due to Annabeth convincing Luke to come back and sacrifice himself. Percy gave Luke the knife but he didn't actually win that fight. All in all, I'd give Percy a lot of credit for his deeds but probably not as much as people want to give him.**

 **6) I'll only briefly address the giants. Yes, Percy is badass and defeats Giants. He deserves full credit there even with the fact he needed a god to defeat them. The fight against Polybotes the first time. The fight against Otis and Ephialtes with Jason. He befriended Damasen. Now the downsides. He essentially lost against Polybotes the second time due to PTSD and depression from Tartarus. He didn't win his fight against the Arai in Tartarus and almost died if not for Bob/Iapetus. Him and Annabeth would have died in Tartarus if not for the intervention of Bob and Damasen. Especially considering Tartarus (the being) scared the hell out of Percy where he actually dropped Riptide.**

 **So, all in all I'll summarize with the fact that people play up Percy's feats probably more than they should. Of course, he deserves credit but as Percy says in the books, he had a lot of help with those and he really should have died many times over.**

 **Seventh. I've seen people wondering about where in the DxD timeline things are going to fall. People have said it has to be after the Treaty. I'm going to disabuse you all now. The timeline will start from the beginning of DxD. How I will work this is related to point four. You don't know everything just like the gods don't know everything. The gods might think everything is great over in Bible land but that's because they don't know. I already have things worked out for how everybody's interaction will go so you'll just have to wait and see how it plays out.**

 **The Eighth point is something that I mentioned in chapter one but I can already see people getting upset about when I introduce it. To somewhat forestall that I'm going to mention it now. Yes, Percy has a Sacred Gear. You'll see how and why in the coming chapters. I will not mention which one but I did take it from another character in DxD and it is one of the Longinus. This will make Percy strong but he will not be OP so nobody needs worry about that. I will also say that I've decided that there will be someone/something/somebeing sealed in the Gear. Remember that this story is AU and a crossover so things won't line up perfectly or in some cases at all with canon. You'll have to deal with that.**

 **The last point here is people complaining about Percy just giving into the Olympians demands for the marriage. I can understand where a lot of you are coming from but I tried to explain things in both the last chapter and this one. Let's recap for easy explanation. First, this is something directly from the council. Yes, Percy might have spoken against the council before but at the end of the day he ended up going along with it. His relations with the Olympians are tenuous at best, hostile at worst. Let's look closer at his relations with the gods**

 **1) Zeus. Zeus doesn't like Percy. At all. He might be grateful he saved Olympus but Zeus would not hesitate a heartbeat to strike down Percy if he could. In fact, the reason the giants were able to rise was partly due to the fact Zeus was pissed about Percy turning down godhood so this sours relations further.**

 **2) Hera. Hera hates all demigods as they are a result of a union between gods and mortals outside the sanctity of marriage (her domain). She views Percy as an upstart and disrespectful to the gods. Much like Zeus she wouldn't hesitate to kill him if it supported her views and positions.**

 **3) Poseidon. He's Percy's dad. Obviously, he's going to support his son.**

 **4) Demeter. Demeter is mostly neutral towards Percy though if the interaction between them in the Underworld in the Last Olympian is anything to go by she doesn't really like him much either. She does not have great relations with Poseidon considering he's raped her a couple of times in mythology so it isn't really surprising she wouldn't be fond of his son. While she might not actively seek out to kill Percy she more than likely wouldn't have a probably with it being done either.**

 **5) Athena. Athena doesn't like Percy. She always thought that he was a bad influence on Annabeth and the relationship was unhealthy. Not to mention that he is the son of her rival. Athena would kill Percy quickly if she thought it would solve a problem (not to mention she did vote for his death in The Titan's Curse).**

 **6) Hephaestus. Hephaestus is mostly neutral towards Percy. While he might be grateful for saving him, and preventing monsters from using his forge at Mt. St. Helens, he did destroy the forge which wouldn't appeal to the god that much. Overall if a vote for his life would occur he'd probably abstain though he could be persuaded in either direction.**

 **7) Hermes. Hermes likes Percy for the most part. Sure, there were moments when things were contentious between them (the throne room in TLO) but Hermes likes him. In a vote for Percy's life he'd vote to spare him more than likely.**

 **8) Dionysus. Dionysus doesn't like any demigod or hero. Especially sons of Poseidon after what happened between Theseus and his wife Ariadne. He certainly doesn't like Percy and makes that known throughout the series even if he reluctantly helps him a couple of times. In a vote for Percy's life Dionysus would easily vote for his death should his father ask and/or Athena thought it best.**

 **9) Ares. Do I have to go into the points here? Ares would kill Percy without a second thought and relish doing it.**

 **10) Artemis. Artemis hates men. That's what she does. Mythology is riddled with her killing men for one reason or another. Sure, she respects Percy's power, all the gods respect him, but that doesn't mean she likes him. After suffering numerous deaths to her Hunters from Luke/Kronos in the Titan War and then Orion and the Giants in the Giant War she would have an even lower opinion of men than before. In a vote for Percy's life, unless a prophecy was spoken regarding his need like in the books, she wouldn't have many qualms about killing him.**

 **11) Apollo. Apollo likes Percy for mostly what he did for Artemis and saving her. However, Apollo votes with his sister on most issues. If Artemis votes for his death then Apollo would too.**

 **12) Aphrodite. Aphrodite is tricky. She doesn't like his disrespect but she enjoys toying with his love life. I mean Rachel and Reyna where due to Aphrodite's influence (Calypso was due to Hera as she admits at the end of BotL). In a vote for Percy's life I think she'd vote to keep him alive if for no other reason than to continue toying with his love.**

 **So that brings the finally tally thus: 3 votes for life as they like him (Poseidon, Hermes, Aphrodite), 7 for death (Zeus, Hera, Athena, Dionysus, Ares, Artemis, Apollo) and 2 neutral (Demeter, Hephaestus). Even with a swing of Demeter and Hephaestus to not vote for his death that still wouldn't be enough. So, Percy fearing from all the gods is completely warranted.**

 **The next idea off of that is that Athena manipulated his parents. The PJO canon shows us that Percy goes to extremes for those he cares about which is what puts them in danger in the first place. Athena knows that and manipulates the situation so that Percy's parents pretty much will want to go to Japan for Paul's offer and Percy won't have much choice. Either go and help protect his parents from a strange, potentially dangerous, pantheon he knows next to nothing about. Or leave them, possibly forever, to whatever fate he and they will have. Percy's going to protect his loved ones 10 out of 10 times there. And the last point is one I mentioned in the last chapter but brought up more in this one. Percy wants to be happy. He's suffered terrible quest after quest. Watched people he cared about die and killed monsters (and more than likely other demigods if we're honest). He was abused verbally and possibly physically as a child and his mom definitely was abused both verbally and physically as well. Then when he might finally find some peace the woman he thought he was going to be with breaks his heart (you'll find out what happened in the next couple of chapters). I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to want happiness at this point and Aphrodite is promising it to him. It comes at a price but I think he'd be willing to pay it after all he's suffered and endured. Yes, Aphrodite promised something similar before with Annabeth but this time is different because it affects the relations with the Christians. And while Ares might want war, none of the other gods are particularly inclined to it if it can be avoided.**

 **I will make one last statement regarding the marriage though. Don't expect everything to go peachy when Percy and everyone meet. I'm not sure how people are immediately jumping to the conclusion that Percy is going to magically fall in love with Rias and Akeno because he finds Aphrodite with their appearance attractive. If that was the case then people would be getting married and divorced every damn day. You'll see how things play out as it goes but know that, much like any relationship, there will be plenty of ups and downs**

 **That's everything. I hope this note clears up some points for people and helps explain further reasoning. I realize not everyone is going to agree but it is what it is. I hope you all stick around for the ride because things are going to be picking up in the next couple of chapters and I think you'll all like it. Thanks again for taking the time to read my story and I hope to hear from everyone in a review or PM.**


	7. Chapter 5: Travels and Recollections

Chapter 5: Travels and Recollections

Percy was sitting on an airplane next to his stepfather and mother with Paul eagerly looking out the window and Sally forcefully squeezing Percy's hands waiting for the plane to reach cruising altitude and allowing her to use the bathroom. A pregnant woman holding her bladder gives her a surprising amount of strength. He tried squeezing back just as hard on his mother's hand but his fear of being blasted out of the sky left him with a distinct lack of strength.

It was the end of February now and he remembered being visited by Athena in a dream reminding him that Zeus had given his begrudging permission to fly to Japan and enter his domain but that didn't mean Percy was comfortable with it. He had been on a plane on only two other times in his life and his completely rational fear of spontaneous combustion due to a "freak" lightning strike was present then as well. And he didn't have permission to enter his uncle's domain those times. Every time the plane shook with turbulence or a flock of birds flew dangerously close Percy could feel his free hand gripping his armrest with white knuckles. His uncle was probably laughing his ass off at the paranoia Percy was feeling.

The flight from New York to San Francisco was projected to be seven hours with all the turbulence the pilot anticipated but Percy had planned for just that instance. He convinced himself to stay awake for the past day and a half so that he could hopefully sleep on the journey. Every time that he felt himself drifting off to sleep he quickly dunked his head in the closest water source he could find. After the first two times of creating a puddle on the floor though his mom got angry with him and Paul suggested an alternative. That was why Percy had a slightly red cheek with the faint outline of a handprint on his face. He practically begged his mom to give him a good slap when he started to doze off and while she was reluctant at first, she warmed up to the idea after remembering how he almost delayed the trip due to an entire packing situation and cause them to miss their flight. Once again Percy thought that pregnancy gave women a surprising amount of strength.

Paul, not noticing the discomfort either Percy or Sally were experiencing, had his face plastered against the window and was looking down at the disappearing New York landscape. He started talking about the city with fondness.

"Goodbye New York. We'll miss you" he said. Then he immediately pulled out a brochure about Japan that he procured from the program he would be in. While it was entirely in Japanese it had an English translation underneath so Sally was able to read it too. Unlike Paul who had taken seven years of the language in school and become fluent in it and Percy who was blessed by the gods to learn it, Sally had to learn Japanese as she went. She already told both him and Paul they'd be speaking strictly English in their new house.

DING! The light indicating that passengers could now take off their seatbelts turned off.

"Attention passengers" said a feminine voice through the cabin speakers. "We have reached cruising altitude now and you may unbuckle your seatbelt. We ask that you please refrain from moving around as much as possible due to anticipated air turbulence." Up at the front of the plane was a woman in her early thirties with the standard uniform of a flight attendant. Her bleach blonde hair was tied up in a bun and she was leaning gently against the cabin doors while she made her announcements so she could keep her balance.

Sally immediately took off her seatbelt and sat up with her now seventh-month pregnant belly and made her way to the restroom. A few other people were also trying to stand up to use the bathroom but Percy saw his mom put on a burst of speed to get there first. Chuckling quietly to himself at the display, he tried to take his mind off of the fact he was flying. Sleep was slowly descending on him but until his mom returned he didn't feel like he would really be able to rest. Just like him she too didn't like flying as both her parents had perished in a plane crash. He recalled his meeting with Camp Half-Book that took place right before the Christmas season to try and keep himself awake in the meantime. However, despite his best efforts, sleep slowly overtook him and his vision faded into blackness with memories.

 _It was a cold day outside as Percy made his way to Camp Half-Blood in his stepdad's Prius. He was blasting the heat as much as it would go so he could maintain his warmth and he had classic rock blaring out of the radio. As the lyrics to Queen's "I Want It All" faded away into The Eagles "Hotel California" Percy felt the nerves of his upcoming conversation with everyone. Chiron had apparently contacted as many of the campers as he could and helped arrange transportation so most of the camp had actually come. Apparently when they heard Percy had an announcement they were willing to hear from him. While that would make things better as more people would know it also meant there would probably be about 10 times as many questions. Questions that both the Gods and Chiron had reminded him he couldn't answer. At least not fully. And the worst part was that he couldn't just admit that he couldn't answer the questions either. Apparently, Mr. D had told Chiron who then told Percy that he needed to be as vague as possible while answering everything in a roundabout way._

 _Worrying over how everyone was going to react Percy didn't realize he had arrived until he pulled off the side of the road at the base of Half-Blood Hill. Snow covered the hill making the normally safe trek to the Pine tree at the top more treacherous than normal. Aside from the demigod eating monsters that is. The snow wasn't deep, barely three inches, but the sheet of ice layered on top made it more dangerous to walk on. Percy tried slamming his foot into the ground to break through the ice and walking in the spots that already had footprints from other campers making their way to camp. Fortunately, the boots he was wearing were thicker than the sneakers he normally wore and could create some traction for him to slowly walk to the top of the hill._

 _Upon reaching the top Percy walked over to the giant Pine tree that had a large serpentine dragon wrapped around its base. Peleus, the fire-breathing guardian of the tree and its contents, gently snored through his nose letting puffs of black smoke escape his nostrils. As Percy approached the guardian he could see Peleus open one of his eyes taking in the new presence and trying to determine whether Percy was friend or foe. Fortunately for Percy, he had known the monster since Chiron had handpicked him for the guardian duty so Peleus let Percy approach._

 _Reaching out his hand to pet the large beast Percy slowly ran his fingers over Peleus's golden scales. The dragon let a tiny moan of contentment as Percy greeted his friend. While Peleus might have been a monster and Percy a demigod both had the same goal uniting them: protect camp. Percy looked up into the tree then noticing the glittering of a golden coat adorning its branches. The Golden Fleece sat hanging from a midlevel branch shiny in the fading day's sun and lending its power to the tree and subsequently the camp. He couldn't help but smile at remembering how he broke camp rules to help retrieve the magical object._

 _It was then that another camper appeared at the top of the hill looking at Percy petting the dragon. Percy didn't recognize the camper and based on her reaction she probably didn't recognize Percy either._

 _The camper was a girl who was probably 9 or 10 with black, midnight colored hair and piercing green eyes. Not sea-green like his but more of a vibrant emerald shade. Her slightly tan skin was barely visibly in the heavy coat and snow pants she wore and Percy could see earmuffs covering up her ears. The girl looked completely shocked to see Percy petting Peleus so he deduced she must be a newer camper. It took a while for Peleus to get used to newer campers and the only ones he ever really let approach him were Chiron, Argus, Annabeth, Thalia, Katie Gardner a daughter of Demeter, Clarisse La Rue a daughter of Ares, Malcom Pace a son of Athena, and of course himself. Peleus tolerated a few of the older demigods' presence, those like Travis and Connor Stoll sons of Hermes and brothers, Drew Tanaka a daughter of Aphrodite, and Miranda Gardiner a daughter of Demeter. However, almost all newer campers were excluded from Peleus's inner circle of toleration and he had scared more than a few of them when they wandered too close. Whether it was because he didn't like the new campers or was genuinely trying to protect the Golden Fleece nobody knew for sure._

 _Percy continued to pet the dragon with a smile of amusement on his face as he watched the girl drop her mouth open in shock. She slowly brought her hand up in front of her pointing shakily at Percy. He could feel the chuckles escape out of his mouth waiting for her to speak. Beside him he felt Peleus stir and the dragon too seemed to find the situation funny as his eyes shone with mirth._

" _Yo-You shouldn't be near him!" the girl exclaimed loudly. "He'll bite your hand off it you don't back away. Hurry up!"_

 _Now Percy couldn't help but laugh as he turned once again to the dragon._

" _Is that what you're going to do Peleus? Are you going to bite my hand? Maybe a nice demigod treat for you?" Percy asked._

 _Peleus let out a snort of smoke in a playful manner covering Percy in a haze of blackness. The girl let out a shriek and called for Chiron to come quickly. Percy, deciding to have a little fun with the situation, upped the stakes a little._

" _OH NO! OWWWW! NO IT BURNS! PELEUS NOO!"_

 _The girl was practically hyperventilating at this point and Percy could hear her muffled voice as she tried to cover her mouth and prevent Peleus from turning his attention to her. It was at this moment that Chiron appeared at the top of the hill in his centaur form and his longbow in his hand. An arrow already notched on the string Percy could feel as Chiron disturbed the water vapor in the air as he drew back on the bow._

" _Rebecca" Chiron began in a no nonsense way, "what is wrong!? Who needs help?"_

 _The girl now named Rebecca pointed at the haze of black smoke that surrounded Percy and said in a quivering voice "Chiron there's some boy in there burning. Peleus blew fire at him! Please you need to save him!"_

 _Percy couldn't stop laughing in the smoke and slowly tried to cover it up with bouts of wheezing, which wasn't hard to do as he was breathing smoke, and trying to continue the joke._

" _Oh Chiron!" Percy said in a slightly elevated voice now. Not quite as loud as before but definitely louder than his regular talking. "Help me Chiron! I'm burning to a crisp in here! Please help meeeeeee." He tried to carry out that last word for as long as he could before his laughter got the better of him then._

 _It was as the smoke was clearing that Percy could finally see what had transpired from his joke. There, standing a few feet from him, was still the girl named Rebecca but Percy could now also clearly see his mentor and father figure Chiron along with both Travis and Connor Stoll and his cousin Nico di Angelo, a son of Hades. The Stoll brothers were laughing hysterically and even Nico had a smirk on his face indicating that he found the situation funny. Chiron merely had an exasperated look on his face as the girl buried herself in his brilliant white horse hair. Percy felt a little guilty about giving the girl a scare but he couldn't help the smile that showed on his face._

" _Percy" his trainer said. "Why am I not surprised to find you at the cause of this?"_

 _Still smiling Percy responded cheekily. "I don't know Chiron. Maybe because I'm the only one who could do something like this?"_

 _The centaur shook his head and turned back to his young charge who was still clinging to him._

" _Rebecca, it is ok. See? Percy is perfectly fine. It was merely a minor joke. Done in poor taste for sure but a joke nonetheless."_

 _Rebecca rubbed her gloved hands across her face and wiped away the tears that streamed down. Travis and Connor and Nico slowly made their way back down the hill at an unspoken command from Chiron and the centaur gave Percy a look as if to say 'fix this now or you're on for dishwashing duty'. He then pulled away gently leaving Percy and the girl standing alone atop the hill._

" _I'm sorry," Percy said. "I couldn't help it after seeing your face and initially reaction. You seemed so genuinely scared that I couldn't help but laugh. You know Peleus won't hurt any of us, right? Well, as long as we don't try and go for the Fleece he won't."_

 _The girl looked up then at Percy as if he was crazy. Honestly with all the crap he'd been through he might have been but then again, every demigod's life was messed up so crazy was more of a relative term._

" _That was really mean of you" she answered in response. "And what do you mean Peleus won't hurt any of us? He blew fire at me when I first got to camp a few weeks ago!"_

 _Percy nodded his head at that as it really only made sense for why the girl was scared of the dragon. If she got too close and Peleus didn't know her then he might mistake her for a threat and send a warning. Which was exactly what he did._

" _Did Peleus actually breath fire at you? Or was it more a couple of yards in front of you?" Percy asked._

 _The girl put on a look of concentration before seeming to come to Percy implication._

" _So, you mean… he really wasn't trying to hurt me?" she asked hesitantly._

 _Percy gave her a reassuring smile then. "No, he wasn't trying to hurt you. Just give you a warning. You see Peleus has a job to protect the tree and camp and if he sees someone charging up the hill at him, someone he doesn't know, he has to do his duty. We trained him to send a warning blast of fire first so newcomers like yourself know to enter camp a few yards away from him. Seems he's doing a good job." Percy said that last statement while looking back at the dragon proudly. Peleus blew another puff of smoke out of his nostril and turned away from Percy but Percy could see how the dragon settled into a resting position with a comfortable demeanor recognizing the compliment._

 _The girl looked at Peleus with a more calculating look this time before turning to face Percy again. Percy smiled down to her and stuck his hand out._

" _I'm Percy by the way. Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon. Who are you?"_

 _Rebecca reached out her hand and grasped Percy's but her eyes bugged out when he said his name._

" _I'm… I… I'm Rebecca Locasta a daughter of Hecate." She stuttered to get her words out. "Are you really him? Like THE Percy Jackson? Hero of Olympus Percy Jackson?"_

 _Percy always hated this part of introductions. When he first helped the new campers, they didn't know him and his deeds, only that he was a helpful older camper the younger ones could go to with questions and for advice. But as they spent more time with their brothers and sisters in the cabins and talking to other campers during activities they heard more and more about his quests and exploits and slowly placed him on some pedestal. He always had to remind them that he was a demigod just like them and it usually took some time before they acknowledge that. In the meantime, that meant a lot of awkward staring from the other campers. He was sadly used to it as it's been happening since he first arrived at camp but he never liked the attention._

" _Yes, I'm Percy" he spoke back to her. "I'm not one for titles though so I'd prefer if you just stick with Percy. Besides I had a lot of help with all those quests so I think most of the credit goes to them."_

 _She didn't actually say anything back after he spoke instead choosing to grip his hand more firmly and pulling herself closer to him. She had now adopted a teary-eyed visage and Percy could see a few more tears start to roll down her cheeks and she grabbed him in a tight hug slowly losing herself to a sobbing mess. She wasn't very tall, coming in at only 4 and a half feet so her tears stained his shirt and sweater at stomach level._

 _Unsure of what exactly was happening, Percy slowly put his arms around the crying girl. He had never been good with women crying and just gently rubbed her back waiting till her tears stopped. If there was a situation where a couple of telkhines showed up Percy was the guy to call. A couple of dracaenae are pounding on camps doorstep? Call Percy. However, if a woman was crying? Definitely find somebody other than Percy. It was a few more minutes that the girls crying carried on before she calmed down and pulled away from him._

" _I'm sorry" she muttered looking down at her feet._

" _It's alright" Percy said back. "Are you ok though?"_

 _The girl nodded her head before speaking. "Yeah I'm ok. I just… I heard how you got amnesty for my mom and how we now had our own cabin at camp because of your wish and I just felt so grateful. When my mom told me about camp she had mentioned that a few years ago she wouldn't have wanted to send me here but things had changed thanks to some hero. I didn't really… have anyone there for me before and now I have a whole cabin of brothers and sisters who care about me." She had started to begin crying again but Percy quickly embraced the young girl in another hug hoping to forestall more wet works._

" _Hey it's ok. You don't need to thank me. It was something that should have been done a long time ago. I'm just glad that I could help everyone. Family's important and you guys are my family so I'd do anything I could for camp and the campers."_

 _Rebecca had nuzzled further into Percy warm embrace and he could feel her squirming closer to his chest now. Her black hair cascaded down the top of her head and Percy ran a gentle hand through it in a brotherly manner comforting her._

" _Do you want to pet Peleus?" he asked in an effort to redirect the conversation to something a little less emotionally draining. She whipped her head up quickly with scared eyes. "Don't worry" he assured her soothingly. "You're with me and Peleus won't harm you."_

 _Still looking unsure Rebecca nodded her head in confirmation and Percy slowly drew her back to Peleus. The dragon reopened one eyelid and observed the two before closing it again. Percy pushed Rebecca closer to the guardian and grabbed her hand before gradually bringing both his and hers to the smooth scales. Together they rubbed the surface of his hard exterior and Peleus let out another puff of content smoke. Rebecca finding the reaction funny giggled in a little girl way before developing her own rubbing rhythm on the scales. Percy smiled down at the scene himself before also petting his friend._

" _What's that in the tree?" Rebecca asked suddenly. Percy could see she spotted the reflective surface of the fleece and answered her._

" _That's the Golden Fleece. It protects camp and keeps out unwanted monsters. It's what Peleus is really guarding."_

" _That's the Fleece?" she asked rhetorically. "How did it end up at camp?" she whisper asked._

 _Seeing a perfect opportunity to give credit where it was actually due for a change Percy jumped at the chance of actually relaying the story._

" _Haha. Yes, that is the actual Golden Fleece from the myth. A camper named Clarisse, a daughter of Ares, retrieved it from the Sea of Monsters a few years ago. You see the tree was badly poisoned by the Titan's acting through an intermediary and monsters started to get through the barrier. In order to stop that from happening Clarisse was given a quest to go and get the Fleece. And as you can see she succeeded. She fought a hydra and sailed right through Charybdis before making her way to Polyphemus's island. Then as she landed in Florida she managed to get help from some friends and flew back to camp and saved the tree and camps borders."_

" _Wow" the girl said in awe._

 _Percy laughed at that and nodded his head. At that moment his stomach grumbled and both he and Rebecca looked down at it before breaking down into further laughter. Noticing that it was going to be dinner time soon Percy pulled Rebecca away from Peleus._

" _Come on" he exclaimed. "It's almost dinner time now so let's make our way to the pavilion."_

 _Rebecca gave him a radiant smile and nodded before grabbing his hand and skipping down the hill pulling him along with her. He let out another laugh and indulged the young camper feeling good about himself. He always felt a little guilty when people tried to give him credit for getting the Fleece when it was Clarisse's quest so telling the truth to someone felt good. And with that he made his way to get dinner right as the conch horns blew indicating it was meal time._

 _As Percy and Rebecca entered the dining pavilion Percy noticed that most of his regular friends had shown up to camp. Travis and Connor were still playing pranks on everyone if the pink and green hair at the Demeter table was anything to go by. Surrounded by the two Percy could also see Chris Rodriguez shaking his head but laughing at the two's antics. Nico sat at the Apollo cabin next to his boyfriend Will Solace and some of his siblings such as Kayla Knowles and Austin Lake. Over at the Hephaestus table Percy made out Jake Mason sitting next to his sister Nyssa Barrera and little brother Harley laughing about how Clovis and his siblings at the Hypnos table had fallen asleep on their dinner plates and started drooling._

 _Everything was as Percy had remembered from his time at camp. Clarisse had shown up from college and was laughing at her brothers Sherman Yang and Ellis Wakefield trying to arm wrestle one another. Both Katie and Miranda sat at the Demeter table in deep conversation about proper greenhouse procedures for growing beautiful tulips and daisies. Fortunately, when Percy checked on table six Percy only saw Malcom leading his siblings so it appeared Annabeth had heeded his Iris Message about meeting up at Camp Jupiter for a more detailed and personal conversation._

 _Just as Percy let go of Rebecca's hand and started making his way over to his table he saw Chiron stand up at the front where himself and Mr. D usually sat. It seemed the immortal camp director decided he wasn't going to show up for the meeting. Probably to avoid answering any questions if Percy knew him. That would take too much effort on the gods part. Stomping his hoofs loudly on the ground Chiron spoke in a loud booming voice that echoed around the open dining area._

" _Heroes! Welcome back to camp. Just some general announcements before we begin our meal. Please note that an investigation into the dyed shampoo in the communal showers has begun and when I discover the culprits they will be on Pegasus stable duty for the duration of their stay." Chiron said that while looking directly at both Connor and Travis who were still laughing knowing that while the centaur might have known it was them he wouldn't find any proof and thus they would get off scot-free. Over at the Demeter table Katie and Miranda shot annoyed glances over at the two sons of Hermes._

" _Also, in honor of such a large gathering of campers, both old and new, and for news we will be discussing momentarily, we will be having a celebratory game of Capture the Flag tomorrow night." At this most of the campers shouted in joy at having the chance to smack around each other. The kids at the Athena table also cheered but unlike most of the other campers they noticed that Chiron had mentioned this would be a special game of sorts. Percy could see the gears working in the Wisdom's children's minds and knew the time was coming to explain himself._

" _As this is the largest gathering of campers aside from the normal summer camp just a friendly reminder that curfew is still in place even during the holiday time. The cleaning harpies will be out in full force and any unprepared camper will be eaten."_

 _At this statement a few of the younger campers gulped visibly and clung to their older more experienced cabinmates. Percy and a few of the older campers couldn't help but chuckle at the scene. While the harpies were not anything to mess around with as they would hurt the campers if they caught them outside past curfew the harpies would definitely not eat them. They were trained and hired just for that reason. Still it was entertaining seeing Chiron continued to scare the younger demigods into conformity by telling them that._

" _And now" Chiron said turning to face Percy, "the reason you are all gathered here." At Chiron's change in direction most campers now looked to Percy. He was the leader and had dealt with this kind of behavior before so he was used to the deference. "Percy, lad, would you come up to the front and explain the situation."_

 _Percy nodded his head and stood up from his seat at the Poseidon table. Being so close to the head table made the walk quick but Percy felt like every step he took he was dragging out a painful sentence. When he reached the front, and turned to look at everyone, he could see all the faces of the demigods. Some had looks of wariness; those mostly came from the older campers as they probably worried he would bring news of a new war. Some had looks of reverence; the younger campers mostly provided those looks after probably hearing exaggerated stories of his exploits from their siblings. Most though had a look of expectancy. They had answered Chiron's call to come to camp specifically to hear what he had to say. Taking a deep breath Percy began._

" _Hey everyone. So, I think most of you know me but for those that don't I'm Percy Jackson."_

 _In the background Percy could hear someone from the Hermes table shout "No you're not! You're name's Peter Johnson." A lot of the older campers laughed at that and Percy couldn't help the smile that formed on his face. Even Chiron with his usual stoic demeanor gave a light chuckle at the friendly reminder that Mr. D had gotten his name correct on exactly two other occasions._

 _Acting as if nothing was said Percy continued on. "So, erm, thank you guys for coming to camp. As Chiron indicated I have an announcement of sorts." Percy hesitated then but if he learned anything from trying to explain the situation to his mother he knew it was better to just get it over with._

" _I'm going away for a while. The gods have a task that they need help with and I guess I was the one chosen." At that Percy could hear the groans from the other demigods and he saw some with looks of jealousy and envy._

If only they knew _he thought to himself._ I'd gladly let any one of them handle this job _._

 _It was then that the first few hands shot up from the demigods. Most were from the Athena table, always the curious ones, but he also saw the hands of Katie Gardner and Jake Mason shoot up. Before Percy could call on one of them though Clarisse spoke up._

" _Why should we care Prissy?" she asked abrasively. "You aren't at camp most of the year anyway. What makes this time so different?"_

 _In the past Percy might have scowled at Clarisse for the demeaning nickname but, in all honesty, he had come to recognize it as her way of showing affection. Sure, it started out as insulting, and yes it was still insulting, but Clarisse only gave nicknames to those she cared about and after all they crap they'd gone through together it was hard to justify saying they didn't care about each other to at least some extent. Sailing the Sea of Monsters and rescuing her dad's chariot from her demented godly half-brothers had formed a bond between the two of if not friendship than at least comradeship. If a situation arose where Clarisse needed his help with something or he needed hers for something he knew that the other would do their best to be there. Fighting in wars together tended to do that to people._

" _Well Clarisse" Percy began emphasizing her name, "this time is different. There's a good chance I'm not coming back to camp. This is it."_

 _At that most of the campers had gone silent. Even Clarisse had adopted a gob smacked look on her face and she didn't know what to say. Most campers as they got older either died or camp back to camp to visit occasionally. It was rare that they lived that long but those that did made an effort to come back as it was one of the only safe places for demigods. To hear that Percy probably wouldn't be coming back ever was shocking to most._

 _Malcom, being the ever-curious child of Athena he was, was the first to regain his composure and asked a question._

" _What do you mean Percy? What kind of task did the gods assign you that won't allow you to come back to camp?"_

" _I mean pretty much exactly what I said Malcom" Percy replied back. "The gods gave me a job to do. Unfortunately, what it will require might not allow me to return to camp. At the least it will probably be some time before I could come back in either case. As for what the task is? It something that will require most of my attention. If I didn't give it my all something tells me I'd been in for a difficult life."_

 _To Percy's side he could hear Chiron give another light chuckle in clear agreement with his statement. Malcom however wasn't appeased by Percy's response and pressed him further._

" _But what is the task exactly? Maybe it's something we can help with?" A few of Malcom's siblings nodded their heads in agreement. Percy suspected they just wanted to know what his job was._

" _Well" Percy began unsure of how to go about this. He had practiced with his mom before coming and she thought he did a good job of avoiding the question but his mom already knew the truth and didn't quite understand a child of Athena's desire for knowledge like he did. "The job is requiring me to move away so I'm not going to be around anyone. I don't think Iris is going to be able to carry messages for me either as the gods made it pretty clear this was my job alone. I appreciate the offer for help though." Percy nervously fidgeted on his heels waiting for more questions. He knew he didn't answer the question still and he just hoped Malcom would let it go._

" _But not coming back to camp?" Drew Tanaka of the Aphrodite cabin asked. "Where are you moving to Percy?" she asked the last question with charmspeak in her voice. Fortunately, Percy had trained for just that question so when it was asked he could bend the truth to answer the question and avoid speaking plainly._

" _I'm moving far away from camp. And unlike some other campers I can't fly back here to visit without being blasted out of the sky." At that last statement a boom of thunder crashed through the atmosphere to indicate the truthfulness of it. It seemed the gods were paying attention to his little meeting._

 _Some of the younger campers looked shocked by that but most recognized the statement for what it was: self-preservation. They knew a child of Poseidon couldn't fly just like how they knew children of Zeus shouldn't be in the water. It was just the way of the Olympians. Thankfully, Chiron interjected here._

" _Alright I think that's enough. Percy has explained as much as he can so no more questions." Percy heaved a sigh of relief when he saw most of the campers had recognized the dismissal for what it was. Even Drew had gone back to ignoring him as he saw she now had her face planted in some Cosmo magazine. Malcom and a few of the other Athena kids still had curious looks on their face so Percy knew he'd probably have to avoid them the rest of the trip here. Fortunately, he had already planned with his mom that he'd only be at camp for the week and return back to their apartment then._

" _And now" Chiron continued, "we can begin the meal." Raising a goblet of drink high into the air the other demigods did the same and Percy made his way to his table. "TO THE GODS!" shouted the centaur and his words were echoed by the campers._

 _As dryads and naiads brought around plates of brisket and barbeque Percy couldn't help but reflect on his time at camp. He'd been through so much, experienced so much at camp. He'd grown into the man he was today because of the training he'd gotten from camp and all the friends he'd made meant a lot to him. As he stood up to sacrifice part of his meal to his father he noticed a few of the other campers whispering about him. Words and phrases such as "he's the leader though" and "it's always him" seemed to stick out in his mind but he mostly just let it wash over him. Camp didn't really need a leader. Every demigod did what the cabin was assigned and as long as there was a counselor an official camp leader wasn't needed. He'd only really gotten the roll because he led the Battles of the Labyrinth and Manhattan and they still had Annabeth should something serious come up. Hopefully he was successful in his mission and war wouldn't need to break out. In that respect the gods were right. Percy was doing this for his demigod family. And as Percy sat back down at his table to eat his meal he smiled knowing that deep down that was a major reason he agreed to his job anyway._

Percy slowly came too at the gentle nudging of his mother. It was bright and sunny outside now and Percy could feel the plane descending to the ground. With every foot the plane came closer to the ground Percy felt better and better. A small stain of drool had crusted over on his cheek and he saw his mother smiling down at him still holding his hand. Somehow, she had managed to grab a hold of it when she returned from the bathroom without waking him.

"Well hello there sleepyhead" she said. "It seems someone managed to get a good rest in."

Unlike Percy, Sally had some bags under her eyes. She had mentioned about trying to nap on the plane but she mostly wanted to save her sleep for the long flight over the Pacific to Japan. It seemed she mostly succeeded if the notebook filled with her stories was anything to note. She apparently managed to write a couple of chapters if the newly written on pages were anything to go by. Percy then yawned and stretched his free hand popping the joints in his shoulders.

"Yeah it was alright" he said in response. "Are we about to land?" he asked her.

Sally nodded her head in confirmation and Percy could also see the relieved look she had on her face as well. Flying definitely didn't agree with her either.

"So, when do you meet with your friends?" she asked him.

"Well I told Nico that we'd be at San Francisco around noon with the time difference and he said he'd meet me just past the security gate and shadow travel us to camp. Everyone else is already supposed to be there so I won't be waiting on anyone."

Sally gave Percy's arm a gentle squeeze as a motherly reminder that everything would be ok and she loved him. He wasn't looking forward to actually explaining how he was essentially engaged now. Especially to his ex-girlfriend. His mom had taken some time to get used to the idea and she still reminded him from time to time that he could always reject the marriage but she still supported him. After almost four months of getting used to the fact he'd be betrothed to someone he still wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea.

As they exited the plane and made their way up through the gangway Percy, Paul, and Sally walked through and into the busy San Francisco airport. Behind them the other passengers rushed quickly to baggage claim to get their belongs but the Jackson-Blofis family had mostly shipped all their belongs to their new house, curtesy of Hermes express, and so didn't have to worry about that. Instead they slowly made their way to the international gates on the other side of the airport to get ready for their next flight. As they were walking however Percy couldn't help but eavesdrop on a conversation with a few trigger words for the demigod.

A man in a grey three-piece suit was waving his hands animatedly whilst talking to two airport security guards. The first security guard jotted down a few notes on a notepad but for the most part his face was scrunched up in a mocking laughter manner.

"I swear officer I saw the whole thing. This… kid. He just popped out of the shadow of that trash can right there. He just appeared. Like out of thin air! Nobody else seemed to see him but I know he was there. I tried to chase after him but then he vanished again. He just ran right by that kiosk over there and he was gone. It was like magic or something!"

The second guard tried to maintain a stoic face but Percy could see his teasing smile as if he too didn't believe the man.

"Ok so this… vanishing kid. What did he look like exactly?"

"He dressed in all black and had a bomb-"

"Did you say bomb?" the second security guard interrupted the man.

"Yes. A bomber jac-"

"Sir I'm going to need to have you come with us now." The guard said.

"What? But my flight. I'm going to miss it!"

"You should have thought of that before trying to play a joke on airport security. We take bomb threats very seriously."

The man tried backing away but the security guards quickly grabbed him by the shoulders and directed him to the nearest security door. In the distance Percy could hear the shouts of the man continue about how this was a mistake and it was a vanishing kid.

"No! I swear that's not what I said! It was a kid! A KID! HE JUST VANISHED! AND THEN HE-"

The rest of his rambling was cut off as the security guards dragged him through the doors. Percy shook his head at the unfortunate incident but he knew the truth. That man could probably see through the Mist and saw Nico jumping around in shadow travel.

"He should have kept his mouth shut" a voice spoke from behind Percy.

Percy jumped and quickly did a 180 in air while pulling Riptide in pen form from his pocket. Upon turning around, he relaxed a bit at the figure in front of him. Standing there was a teenage boy dressed almost entirely in black with a bomber jacket just as the man tried to describe. He had a skull ring on his left hand and his pitch-black hair was messy and flowed passed his ears.

"Nico" Percy exclaimed. "Gods damnit man. What did Thalia and I tell you about sneaking up on people?"

"Not to." Nico shrugged.

"Then why do you keep doing it? You're gonna get stabbed one of these days."

"It's funny" was all Nico said. It was deadpan as if he didn't really mean it but Percy could see the slight raised corners of his mouth in a smirk showing that he did indeed find it funny. Percy just shook his head knowing that as much as he and Thalia tried Nico was going to keep doing it.

"Was it really necessary to just pop out like that? That guy is probably going to get arrested now."

Again, Nico shrugged as if it wasn't his concern. "He looked at the wrong place at the wrong time. The Mist will hide my presence. If he didn't say anything he'd be fine. So, are you ready? The others are waiting and Leo won't shut up about some new invention he's making."

Percy gave a heavy sigh before turning to his mother who was watching the two cousins interact with a slight smile on her face.

"Go ahead Percy" Sally said. "Go tell them what's going on and come back. The flight leaves here at four so you have a couple of hours." Then Sally turned towards Nico to address him. "Oh, and Nico make sure to visit us ok? It'll get lonely out in Japan and Percy will need some company."

Nico shuffled his feet together and looked down before nodding his head in acknowledgement. Sally was always good to Nico and Thalia regardless of what had happened between them all. If she wanted him to visit then Nico would make the effort to visit a couple times. Percy found himself smiling at the prospect of having his cousin visit on occasion. They weren't the closest of friends given the bad blood between them previously but after everything that had happened with Tartarus and Nico's confession things had started to be pretty amicable.

"Ready?" Percy asked.

Nico lifted his head up and gave him a quick nod before grabbing his arm. The next thing Percy knew he was drifting through blackness that was shadow travel with the next stop being a confession with his friends.


	8. Chapter 6: Hard Truths

Chapter 6: Hard Truths

Travelling through the shadows was always uncomfortable for Percy. Not necessarily as much as flying was but certainly a close second. He felt like an intruder trespassing on another's property and he supposed in some respects that was true. His uncle Hades actually was in charge of the shadows, at least with respect of the Olympians and, considering his uncle didn't really like him, it made sense shadow travelling would be uncomfortable. The few times he had done it with either Nico or his pet Hellhound Mrs. O'Leary always left Percy feeling queasy. This time wasn't any different.

Upon landing on the ground Percy dropped to one knee and rested one arm across his stomach. Nico had pulled them directly from the airport into Camp Jupiter and they were now resting in the shadows of a large oak tree. Percy looked up at his cousin taking in his appearance.

While shadow travelling might have been tough for Percy Nico seemed perfectly content with the method. He stood up straight with no slouch in his stance finally coming into his own height now that he was almost 15. The shadows of the oak tree seemed to bend to Nico's desire giving off a slightly ominous sensation but Percy just chalked that up to the normal aura a child of the Big Three would give off. He knew that Jason, Thalia, and himself exuded the presence of a leader at times so for Nico to be experiencing a similar evolution made sense.

"Ugh" Percy groaned as he struggled to regain his feet. "I forgot how much I hate that."

"Reyna never complained when we travelled back to camp. And _she_ had even less experience with it than you." Nico retorted back.

Percy glared at his cousin as a sense of normalcy returned to his bearings. Nico was unfazed though. Much like how Thalia's or Nico's own glare didn't affect him or his and Nico's to Thalia. Just another element that came from being a child of the Big Three. For three beings that were fairly different in elemental control they were strikingly similar in terms of power and attitude.

Now back on his feet once more, Percy took in their surroundings. The oak tree they had travelled to was just outside the Field of Mars where the Romans typically held Legion practice. It was part of a grove of trees dedicated to Ceres, the Roman equivalent of Demeter, and was made up of mostly oaks and redwoods. While neither tree was sacred to the goddess, all around the grove were poppy flowers and mint leaves as these _were_ sacred to her. Percy found it somewhat ironic that Nico had travelled them to the Grove of Ceres considering the goddess definitely hated Hades and wasn't really a fan of Poseidon either after their long history together.

Looking to his right Percy made out the thick white walls surrounding the Principia and the legion barracks. It was a sunny day even here at camp and the brightness was reflected off the wall surface. Both behind and to the sides of Percy he could feel the calming presence of the Little Tiber begging for him to enter its waters again. He found out after losing the Curse of Achilles that the water of the Little Tiber was actually refreshing when it wasn't burning away ancient Greek Curses/Blessings. Directly in front of Percy he could see one of the cohorts drilling in formation on the Field of Mars. Based on the organization and formation he thought it looked to be either the Third or Fourth but he couldn't make out the banner marking with 100% accuracy. A few engineers were huddled together near one of the old towers staring at some paper one of them was holding. If Percy was a son of Hermes he'd bet 10 drachma that they were planning the new structure for their war games. Just on the other side of the field Percy made out a set of picnic tables next to the lake where he could see eight people seated and eating some food. Already looking forward to getting the conversation over with he and Nico began the trek to his friends.

As Percy walked over the Field he tried to formulate a plan to explain the situation.

 _What if I said something like 'Hey, Hey guess whose getting married? This guy.'?_ He contemplated pointing his thumb to himself whilst saying that. _No that sounds stupid. I don't need Annabeth thinking I'm even more dumb than she already does. Maybe a different approach? Like a game? 'I spy with my little eye something gold. And circular. And goes on a ring finger.'_ He could imagine Leo taking it too far and pulling out different size gears to prove that that's exactly what Percy was referring to and he just didn't know it.

His thoughts were interrupted by my cousin's soft yet strong voice.

"So, what's the deal with all this anyway? Why couldn't you just tell me when I was at camp back in December?"

"The gods don't want the truth to get out. The best way for me to prevent that was to have all you guys, my closest friends, here in one place where I could control the situation somewhat."

"Is this really that big a deal?" Nico asked genuinely curious.

Percy nodded his head. "Yeah it could be. What I'm gonna say might be shocking for some of you. Hades knows I was shocked when I first found out about this kind of thing." He thought back to his encounter with Carter and Sadie Kane, two magicians from the Egyptian pantheon, and how shocked he was about their presence. Romans, he could understand as they were basically the same gods just in a different form, but a completely different set of gods and monsters was pretty surprising at the time. Now after hearing about Chaos and the Christians he doubted anything would be really shocking anymore. Then again, he'd said that same thing after finding out about Annabeth's cousin and the Norse so he could easily be wrong.

Nico eyed Percy skeptically but didn't say anything further deciding to let the situation unfold as Percy explained what was going on.

Only a few steps from the rest of his friends, Percy let a lazy smile appear on his face. He could hear the laughter of Hazel and Piper as Leo gently teased Frank and he saw both Jason and Thalia shaking their heads at the demigod son of Hephaestus's joking. Jason had a slightly exasperated look on his face but Thalia had a downright scowl. She'd changed a lot after travelling with the Hunters and going through two wars with them but fortunately for Percy she still treated him as brother and friend. He thought that him agreeing to be the demigod of the first Great Prophecy and allowing her to step aside had a bit to do with it but he never voiced that opinion. He didn't want to risk getting electrocuted by her.

As Percy finally reached the picnic table he took in his friends' presences. Hazel and Frank sat side by side on one side of the picnic table. Hazel wore her armor as was her right as a centurion of the Fifth Cohort but Frank wore the purple toga signifying his station as Praetor. When they returned to Camp Jupiter after defeating Gaia the senate convened and decided that it was in the best interest of the Legion to have Frank maintain the role of Praetor. Even with the technicalities that Jason wasn't actually a Praetor at the time, but Percy was, they thought it the wisest course of action. Percy didn't really care all that much either way as he was going to step down for either Jason or Frank. Together with Reyna, they had whipped the remaining legionaries into a disciplined cohesive army and from what Percy saw on the Field of Mars on the way over it was working out quite well. Speaking of the other Praetor, Reyna sat in a chair at the end of the picnic table with her standard golden armor and purple toga on. She had the same stoic and unrevealing facial expression she always had but Percy could make out a little bit of mirth in her eyes if their scrunched slant was anything to go by.

Leo was seated on Frank's right and he was acting like the jittery ball of energy he usually was. Wearing his now signature magic toolbelt with suspenders and a white shirt, the only thing different about Leo Percy could see was that he had opted for shorts instead of pants in the warmer California February weather. He was snapping his fingers and lighting his thumb on fire with each snap while scaring Frank with the flames. Though Frank was now completely safe from fire thanks to the special flame resistant clothe woven by Calypso he still flinched, muscle memory still impacting him.

Piper and Jason sat on the opposite side of the table from Hazel and Frank and it seemed they still had the perfect couple motif going for them. While Hazel and Frank sat close to each other they maintained some distance between themselves to provide decorum as was befit a proper Roman couple. Jason and Piper on the other hand were completely different. Piper was snuggled up into Jason's side letting her head lean slightly against him. Her brown hair now had a brown eagle feather woven in it to represent her Cherokee heritage and also her relationship to Jason, as a son Jupiter. She was wearing some ripped jeans and a ski vest over a shirt that said "my magic is friendship" with a picture of Sprinkles the pony dancing on a rainbow. Jason still wore his thick rimmed black glasses and his blonde hair was cut its precise military standard length. However, instead of the usual white toga he wore to symbolize his rank as Pontifex Maximus he now wore regular denim jeans and a purple Camp Jupiter t-shirt. He was smiling at his friends and had his arm slung over Piper's shoulder pulling her closer to him.

Thalia was seated to Jason's left and a scowl was still on her face. She had grown accustomed to being in the presence of everyone but Leo represented in men what every hunter hated. He was narcissistic and egotistical at times and he was a terrible flirt with any woman he met, including Thalia. However, in the case of Leo that was more of a defense mechanism to the hardships he'd experienced in his life rather than his true nature. Both Piper and Hazel had mentioned that he was actually really sweet and understanding when one got to know him and while Percy's experiences with him weren't exactly great - Leo had tried to blow up New Rome even if it wasn't his fault and they still had their issues with Calypso - things were relatively amicable between them. They did fight closely in the war together. Thalia still kept her distance from the pyrokinetic demigod whenever she was in his presence. Today Thalia was wearing a silver hunters uniform with the jacket open to reveal her special "Death to Barbie" t-shirt underneath. Her short pixie cut hair lent her a punk chick attitude though Percy knew she was really sweet deep down. The I'm-all-powerful attitude she often had was mainly a front for people because they expected that from her as a daughter of Zeus. And because she was a daughter and not a son of the king she had to work a little harder at it. Sexist behavior still existed from both men and women in some regards.

In the last seat at the opposite end of Reyna was the demigod Percy was looking forward to seeing the least. Sitting in a makeshift wooden block chair was his ex-girlfriend Annabeth Chase. Much like Reyna and Thalia, Annabeth wasn't laughing at Leo but unlike the other two she did have a smile on her face showing she found the scene funny. Percy couldn't help himself from making out all the little details about the daughter of Athena. Annabeth was wearing regular denim shorts that stopped just above the knee and had a light grey sweater on as she was used to the warmer California temperatures so she probably found February weather somewhat chilly. Her hair was tied up in the pony tail she usually liked to put it in to keep it out of her face and Percy could make out her owl earrings to represent her mother. She had brought her right hand up to her camp necklace and was fiddling with the bead of the Trident that was presented five years ago in honor of his coming to camp and completing the quest for the Master Bolt. Deciding to ignore that, Percy stepped up and addressed his friends.

"Hey guys. Long time no see." He said starting it off. Nico had gone around to the other side of the table next to Reyna and Piper leaving Percy stuck between Annabeth and Leo.

"Percy!" he heard collectively from Piper, Hazel, Frank, and Leo. Jason had stood up to give him a handshake and Reyna nodded her head in greeting. She did put a smile on at seeing Percy though. Thalia jumped up then and came around and gave him a hug. It was a little ongoing joke the two had between themselves as after she became a hunter she immediately turned around and hugged him causing him to get flustered and worried Artemis was going to kill either him or her or both; mainly him though. Given how the recent meeting with Artemis went he was still worried she might try to kill him regardless of the mission. Annabeth bit her lip uncertainly before speaking.

"Hey Seaweed Brain" she said softly.

Percy hadn't heard that name since before the breakup and hearing it now wasn't helping his mood. He just stiffly nodded to her before turning and addressing everyone.

"How's everyone doing? Camp running smoothly over here?" he directed the second part of that question to Frank, Hazel, and Reyna. Reyna scoffed in a friendly way as if mockingly questioning the audacity of the question while Frank nodded and Hazel gave a big smile.

"Things are great Percy" Hazel spoke up. "The Legion hasn't been this great in a long time and everyone is getting along now that Octavian isn't blackmailing and bribing everyone. Erm… sorry Jason." She realized what she implied by saying the legion was great but Jason just smiled and shrugged it off.

"It's alright Hazel" he said. "I was only a Praetor for a couple of months before the whole kidnapping fiasco happened so no hard feelings." Hazel beamed at Jason's comforting words. Frank jumped in then.

"Umm… nothing against you either Percy. I'm sure you would have been great."

Percy laughed at Frank's attempt at political talk and decided to give the guy an out.

"It's alright Frank. I was here for what? A week? Maybe a week and a half? And Praetor for about three days. Gods I would have been an awful Praetor. Trying to fill out those reports and requisitions was a pain and I only had to do it for two nights."

The others laughed at that too, including Reyna. She was there with Percy as he struggled to read and write in Latin to fill out everything the Legion needed. Percy was more of a lead from the front kind of general anyway so everything worked out for the best.

"So…" Piper began hesitantly. "You had something to tell all of us?"

Percy could feel his heart racing now. He really didn't want share everything quite so soon. Fortunately, Piper wasn't using her Charmspeak so he decided to procrastinate just a little longer.

"Umm… hey is that pizza?" he asked awkwardly. He looked to his technically older cousin and she registered the look of apprehension on his face. Luckily for him, she acted like the great friend she was and helped him out.

"Yes, it is. Pepperoni and olive, Meatlovers, and some vegetable kind for miss vegetarian over there." She said that last part pointing at Piper. "Why don't we eat before getting into the nitty gritty of this get together?" she rhetorically asked as she already had a couple of slices of the Meatlovers ripped off and on her plate. At her actions the other shrugged their shoulders and started grabbing slices themselves. Percy heaved a brief sigh of relief at the few minute reprieve. He grabbed a seat at the end of the bench next to Leo and started stuffing his face much like the others. He was too close to Annabeth for his liking but seeing as Nico had already grabbed the spot diagonally opposite him and filling up the other bench he didn't have anywhere else to sit.

"So, how's the priest business treating you Jason? Are all the minor gods still lining up to have you give them trading cards and action figures" Percy said hoping to start a conversation with anyone other than Annabeth. He noticed that she had begun to open her mouth to say something but he spoke before she could utter a sound. Piper raised her eyebrow slightly at the interaction but Jason seemed oblivious and began responding.

"Ugh don't get me started on them. I swear if it isn't one thing it's another with these guys. One time I had Eris demanding we make a shrine to her Apple of discord and Hebe showing up at the temple asking me to have a marble bust of her likeness made. Another day I had Janus knocking on my door telling me the right side of his body wants a shine made of granite in the shape of a door and not three hours later he comes back saying that his left side wants to scrap the right's idea and make a flipping coin monument in his honor."

Percy laughed remembering his one encounter with the Roman god in the Labyrinth and how bi-polar he was. He could easily see the two sides arguing about what is the best.

"What did you do?" Leo asked while shoveling a slice of pepperoni in his face.

"I had to compromise with him. We're making a revolving door monument made of granite with plexiglass doors. He seemed pleased with the solution."

Everyone laughed at the solution and continued stuffing their faces. Conversation slowly tapered off as the pizza was almost gone and everyone started feeling restless from sitting. Percy then turned to Leo to ask something that was bothering him.

"Hey Leo. I'm glad you're here and all but I thought you were off searching for Calypso?"

Conversation immediately died out after that. Leo's face morphed into a kind of indifferent expression and Jason and Piper's adopted more of a disappointed look. Thalia started shaking her head and frowned at the demigod son of Hephaestus while the Romans just looked expectantly at Leo. Percy remained oblivious to most people's reaction as he was focused on Leo but he could see Annabeth scowl in the corner of his eye. He gave a slight smirk at angering her but returned his attention back to Leo.

Leo gave a small sigh. He reached into his belt and pulled out some nuts and bolts and began fiddling with them trying to make something.

"I tried. After the war and we managed to defeat Gaia I thought I'd be able to find Ogygia again. You know how things went in the battle. I technically died after Octavian blew himself up with the imperial gold so I guess my oath on the Styx was voided. And the prophecy was fulfilled with my dying. It's thanks to Festus and the Physician's Cure that I'm even alive. After burning Dirt Face quite thoroughly you swooped in with those awesome storm powers of yours and finished her off."

Percy remembered that fight. It was by far the most difficult one he had ever engaged in, including his fights with Hyperion and Kronos. After seeing Leo sacrifice himself for everyone, or so everyone thought, he felt his anger snap. He'd felt helpless in Tartarus, relying on Annabeth as much as she did him. He felt helpless against Polybotes, needing Jason to come and help him. And then knowing that Gaia's rise was partially his fault thanks to a damn nosebleed he just unloaded all his fury. The clouds had darkened dramatically and rain started downpouring. Percy vaguely recalled seeing Jason adding bolts of lightning to his storm striking down monsters left and right. As Gaia fell back to Earth, her domain that would heal her badly burned body, Percy felt the tug in his stomach and pulled as hard as he ever had before. Next thing he knew a giant wave easily 100 yards in height came crashing through camp to get to the battlefield. He didn't care about the cabins or statues then. Only on protecting his friends and destroying the goddess that killed one of them. As Gaia was reaching the ground Percy forced the wave to smash into her and dragged her out to the sea. He thought he could hear shouting from the others about destroying pillars of earth that were reaching up and attempting to save the primordial but he kept his focus solely on drowning the bitch.

He wasn't sure how long it took. Nobody did ever give him a straight answer. Percy suspected it was because they weren't too sure themselves. But one thing they all knew was that the bubbling scream they heard from the ocean answered the question of what happened to the goddess. Percy ended up collapsing due to exhausting his powers but the last thing he remembered was the line of the prophecy being spoken by Rachel saying the Storm caused the Earth to fall.

Pulled from his memory Percy fixed his gaze back on Leo and what he was saying.

"Well after saving camp I asked the gods if they'd release her but they wouldn't help. They said only a hero who was on the island could get her off. They freed her from her curse as you asked for but they weren't going to bring her back. I tried finding it again but even with the tracking device I created I can't find it. Ogygia really can never be visited twice by man."

Leo said that last part with some sadness. Percy could relate to how he felt. Neither spent long on the island but they both had developed feelings for the Nymph. And Percy knew that the curse made Calypso love him back. He wasn't sure if the same applied to Leo considering the curse was gone and based on what he said they mainly spent their time together pissing each other off. Leo said he did though so he took him at his word.

"So that's it?" Percy asked. "You gave up?"

Leo just nodded his head. "Yeah. I tried. The gods wouldn't help and my tracker doesn't work. Besides as attractive as she was it's not like I loved her or anything. I'll move on."

Percy then felt a brief moment of anger surge through him. Leo's callous dismissal of Calypso pissed him off more than he would probably admit but he could sense the other demigods picked up on his shift in attitude. Annabeth stiffened and Hazel and Frank looked distinctly uncomfortable. Piper had a worried expression on her face as she looked between Percy and Leo.

"What do you mean you'll move on?" Percy hissed through clenched teeth. "You told me you loved her! I said I'd help you find her again." The wolf glare Percy learned from Lupa was plastered on his face causing Leo to lean back.

"Hey let's all take a deep breath and take a moment to calm down." Piper interjected then. She laced her words with her power and Percy let them wash over him. He had gotten pretty good at resisting the ability given Drew Tanaka's relentless pursuit of him at camp but he knew he needed a calm mind for the ensuing conversation they would all have. Percy felt his face go slack and lost his glare though the anger still remained in the back of his mind.

"You are leaving her to suffer a cruel fate Leo. I thought if anybody could understand her loneliness it would have been you but I see now that I was wrong." Percy's words stung Leo if Leo's grimace was anything to go by. _Good_ he thought. _You should hurt_.

Annabeth decided to speak up then only souring Percy's mood further.

"What do you care for?" she asked snidely. The hesitant girl from before was transformed into the jealous bitter girl Percy had only seen a couple of times. "It's not like you could save her either. You wasted part of your wish on her and the gods still found a way around it."

Percy then turned to face his ex. The calming presence that Percy had allowed to wash over him from Piper's words was now replaced with seething anger. Love and Hate. Two sides of the same coin. For years he let the former control his actions and what he said to her. Now he let the latter dictate his words.

"Of course, I care." He said back. "I did spend two fantastic weeks with her on paradise. No war, no fighting. She healed me of all my wounds. Wounds that, if you remember correctly, I got because we needed help from Hephaestus for _your_ quest. I could have had everything I wanted. Peace, nobody making fun of me or calling me stupid anymore." He said that last part with particular emphasis pointing his finger at Annabeth. "I had a beautiful woman who actually enjoyed my company and wanted to be with me. And what did I do with that? I turned her down because I was the demigod of the prophecy and needed to save Olympus. So, I did the next best thing I could think of. I got her punishment removed."

"Yeah and we see how that worked out. Great job there Seaweed Brain." She said.

Over the years Seaweed Brain had become something like a term of endearment between Percy and Annabeth. It might have started out as an insult but as the two got to know each other and bonded it became something of pet name. Much like Wise Girl had for Annabeth. Whenever she would say it there was an exasperated smile on her face and twinkling in her eyes that let him know she loved and cared for him. But now there was none of that. It was back to an insult and somehow, after everything they'd been through and how much the term meant to him, it became scathing. Annabeth said it with the intention of hurting him and it did.

"And I came here thinking you might have actually got your shit together" Annabeth continued. "I see now that I was mistaken. You're as stupid as ever. You know, when I heard from Thalia that you were having this little get together I thought you might be ready to admit that I was right all along. You just needed a push to get your schooling all squared away and you needed to eliminate potential distractions so I removed myself from the equation knowing that you'd work harder to earn back my love."

Percy felt his anger turn from a raging inferno into an ice-cold blizzard then. The scowl and glare he had on his face was wiped off and he adopted a stoic expression. The change was almost instantaneous. Most people wouldn't recognize the pure anger from a serene indifferent face but the demigods he was closest to did. It was the calm before the storm as popular saying went.

"Earn back your love?" he whispered. While his facial expressions might have been nonexistent that didn't mean people couldn't tell there was a problem. The clear blue sky was replaced with dark clouds and a low drizzle started. This wasn't a power he had before – sure he had some ability to create a miniature hurricane - but ever since Gaia his control over storms on a large scale seemed to have manifested. Annabeth wasn't backing down though.

"Yes, earn back my love. I told you when I broke up with you Percy that you needed to get smarter. We succeeded a lot in our quests because of luck and my plans. You were behind in school and every time I tried to help you made no efforts. I wasn't putting up with it anymore so I broke up with you knowing that you'd work harder. It seems you still need more time." She crossed her arms at the end of her rant with an expectant look on her face. The same look she always wore when she was waiting for him to say something.

Her words flitted through Percy's mind.

 _You're as stupid as ever. Earn my love. We succeeded because of my plans. Remove distractions._

It was all painful for Percy. He'd heard similar things when they actually broke up at camp. They had an audience then too. Much like the rest of the Seven were observing their fight now, most of the campers had witnessed the big breakup before.

Everything was silent for a moment. The rain slowly continued down though it was now letting up to barely a spitting. Thalia broke away from the others and tried to step up between them.

"Annabeth that's a little harsh don't you think. Why don't you jus-"

She was cut off by a raucous course of laughter from Percy.

"It doesn't even matter anymore" he said. His words were broken up by gasps of air between laughing fits. The others immediately stood up and rushed over to him and Annabeth.

"Why don't you just sit down" Piper tried again to calm everyone. Percy however couldn't stop laughing. He found the entire situation too damn funny. Annabeth, however, did not.

"What do you mean it doesn't matter? Of course, it does. You will get smarter and then I'll allow you to date me again."

That sobered him up really quick but he kept a lazy smirk on his face now.

"That's why you broke up with me? You thought I'd get better at school and what? Magically skip senior year and join you in college? And then you have the arrogance to say that I'd come back to you? Oh, how did you want me to come back to you? Maybe with flowers and chocolates? No, no, I know. You wanted me to come crawling back begging to date you again. That's it right? The great son of Poseidon comes groveling to the intellectually superior daughter of Athena where she graciously accepts him back with open arms." Everyone could practically feel the sarcasm dripping off of Percy words.

"Of course not," she said. "I merely wanted you t-"

"Gods fuck you Annabeth. Your hubris is showing. It doesn't matter anyways."

"Yes, it does" she said. "I know you can be better Percy. You just needed to try harder." Her words no longer seemed to have the bite they did before. Normally Percy's sarcasm wouldn't affect Annabeth considering their history but for whatever reason it did this time.

"No, it doesn't" he again cut her off. "That's what I came here to tell you all. I'm leaving. The gods gave me a job to do and I'm going to Japan."

Everyone's jaws dropped, including Annabeth's. Percy didn't care anymore though. He was still angry about everything though he could admit the sight was somewhat humorous.

"Job?" Hazel asked. "What is it you are doing for them?"

Percy had learned from his previous retellings. With his mom he dragged out the explanation and made it worse. With the demigods at camp he was circumspect and that left them curious. Now he was going to be blunt.

"I'm getting married." He said that looking directly at Annabeth. He wanted to see her break after her hurtful words to him. He got exactly that.

"What…?" Annabeth questioned quietly. Frank picked up the question for her.

"Percy. What do you mean married? You're only seventeen."

Percy laughed again. It was the bitter laugh he had developed ever since his break up with Annabeth.

"I mean exactly that Frank. The gods, in their ever-infinite wisdom, decided that they wanted to use me to make an alliance with another pantheon. So, they plucked me out of school one day and said 'Percy, you're getting married. Congratulations.' Now, here I am telling you all. Don't all rush to congratulate me at once now."

Nobody said a word. A rumble of thunder rang in the sky indicating Zeus' displeasure with Percy's disrespect but he didn't care. Everyone stared at him with jaws still agape and confusion clouding their eyes. It was Reyna who broke the silence this time.

"There is yet another pantheon?" Percy wasn't sure why but he didn't expect this question first. He just nodded his head in response before elaborating.

"Yes, there are actually a couple of other pantheons. At least that we know of. Annabeth and I have met some Egyptian magicians in Brooklyn." Leo childishly laughed at the rhyme. "And Annabeth has a cousin who is Norse."

The others turned to look at Annabeth who now had a look of utter disbelief on her face. When she realized that everyone was looking at her she closed her jaw and slowly nodded her head in agreement.

"Yeah the Egyptians and the Norse exist. But I don't know of any pantheon in Japan. Buddhism was pretty popular there for a time but they don't really have a god like we do per se. Maybe something like Confucianism or Shinto. Shinto was the native religion of Japan with plenty of deities similar to the Olympians."

"It's none of those" Percy said cutting her off. The others looked grateful as they knew as well as he that that once Annabeth went into lecture mode she was difficult to shut up.

"Who then Kelp Head" Thalia asked.

"I'm supposed to get married to a being from the Christians." Percy responded.

"Being?" Jason asked.

"That's the tricky part" Percy said shuffling his feet. Everyone attention was now back on him. He might still be angry but he realized that just blurting it out like that left him answering any question that asked. "There's supposed to be three different factions or something I guess. The Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils if I remember correctly. They're supposed to be in some kind of peace and the gods want to marry me off to one of them to form an alliance. Aphrodite and my dad are working on it."

At this Annabeth got a hopeful look in her eyes.

"So, the gods haven't actually found somebody for you to marry yet?"

Percy eyed her skeptically still pissed off at her earlier hurtful words. She then stepped up to him and got real close. They were only a few inches apart now with Percy's sea-green eyes staring into her steely gray.

"No" he said. "Not yet anyways."

"Good" she said before taking a step back and smiling at him.

 _Gods I'll never understand women_ he thought to himself. _One minute we're fighting like sharks and dolphins and then next she's trying to be my friend again._

Thalia spoke up then. "Is that why Artemis has been laughing so much for the past few weeks? Ever time I turn around she's got this big smile on her face and is chuckling to herself. Whenever I ask her about it she just says that I'll know what it's about when I find out."

Percy scowled remembering the throne room and how Artemis insulted him. He really did wish he ignored Aphrodite then and attacked her.

"Yes, probably" he said returning his attention back to Thalia. "We didn't exactly see eye to eye when they told me."

"Gods Kelp-for-Brains. What did you do?" she asked.

"Nothing. I just told her I wasn't going to put up with her sexism in a roundabout way. She didn't exactly take too kindly to my alternative suggestions."

"Alternatives?" Hazel asked.

Percy brought his hand up behind his head and let out a light chuckle. After reflecting on the encounter in the throne room he regretted his words. He didn't regret getting angry or his actions but he did regret trying to drag other demigods into his problems.

"Umm… haha… well you see… I wasn't the only person they considered sending."

This brought more silence to everyone. Percy could now see some slight fear in the others as they picked up on the unspoken explanation.

"Who?" Hazel whisper asked.

"I wasn't there for the vote but I do know they considered Jason and Annabeth as well." Jason visibly gulped and Piper reached down and squeezed his hand tightly. Annabeth's face had gone an ashen white color.

"I may have… uh… also suggested Thalia" he said turning to his cousin. Thalia's face was slightly annoyed but darkened at his admission. She then punched him on the shoulder as hard as she could, adding in a spark of lightning.

"What the Hades Kelp-Head?"

"I know. I know Thals. I'm sorry. I was desperate. I mean seriously, would any of you want to be forced into an arranged marriage?" he said rubbing his now numb shoulder.

He saw shaking heads from all gathered demigods.

"Well Artemis got pissed and sprouted some nonsense about being mounted like a mare and making up for thousands of years of female rights. You can imagine how things went from there. Needless to say, that here I am announcing to you all that I'm getting married."

Thalia was nodding her head with the scowl still on her face. Reyna also gave a brief nod as if this was the most sensible course of action. The others however didn't withhold their dislike for the situation.

"Percy! You can't seriously be going through with this" Jason said.

"Yeah man" Leo said. Percy was still angry at him for the Calypso situation. "You don't have to go through with this. You're Percy Jackson for Hades sake! Hero of Olympus and badass demigod. You can fight it."

Frank and Hazel were nodding their heads vigorously though they remained silent. If anyone could really understand about duty and doing the right thing it was those two.

"You belong to me Seaweed Brain" Annabeth said. "I'm not letting you get away from me like that."

"Yes, because you cared so much about that when you broke up with me before." He said.

"That was for your own good Percy. Now the situation is changed. I need you as much as you need me."

"I'm my own person Annabeth. I don't need you and you don't own me. Nobody does."

"There's something else. Isn't there?" Piper then asked before Annabeth could respond again. The back and forth between Percy and Annabeth had caused him to almost forget about her.

Taking a deep breath Percy nodded looking directly at her. Her brown hair was matted down from the previous rain and her ski vest had water droplets on them but her kaleidoscopic eyes were staring intensely at him.

"They've convinced my parents to accept the move. They gave Paul his dream job and are giving my mom her dream home. My mom can be really happy for once in our lives. I'm not going to pass that up. Not on her. She deserves the best."

The others all grew uncomfortable at that. Most of their mortal parents had poor relations with them. Thalia and Jason's mom was dead; she died in a car accident after drinking and driving though that was after giving up Jason to Juno and Thalia running away. Leo's mom was killed; unintentionally due to Leo burning her workshop himself but was influenced by Gaia. Percy didn't know Reyna's history but from what he gathered from her sister Hylla and hints from what Nico said it seemed like her father was also dead and treated them poorly when he was alive. Hazel's mom tried to get Hazel to awaken Alcyoneus and she ended killing both her mom and herself to prevent that. Piper's father neglected her and left her to the care of boarding schools and his assistant. Annabeth's father also neglected her for years before she ran away and went to Camp Half-Blood. It was only from Percy's suggestion that they were able to reconcile. Nico couldn't even remember his mother. To prevent Zeus from finding them in the Lotus Hotel Hades had both him and his sister Bianca dipped in the River Lethe to erase their memories. Frank was different though. Much like Percy, his mother loved him a great deal and he had his grandmother to take care of him. Of everyone, Frank could relate to Percy the most.

The conversation died out after that. The demigods were lost in thought and Percy heaved a sigh of relief at finally telling everyone who needed to know. He made his way back over to the picnic table and grabbed a seat while the others slowly followed his lead. They asked a few more questions and he answered as best he could but when even Annabeth didn't ask anything else he knew everyone was trying to adjust to the new normal.

"It'll probably be a while before I see you guys again" he said after a few moments of quiet. "I'm leaving very shortly to head on over to Japan and then the next time I see you will probably be the wedding."

"Not if anything I have to say about it" he heard Annabeth mumble quietly under her breath. Percy shook his heading hoping that she wasn't going to give him serious problems. Love and hate were two sides of the same coin. One minute it was love. The next it was hate. He couldn't help feeling that the coin had flipped again.

"I need you all to swear on the Styx you won't reveal any of this to anyone. This is coming straight from the gods so you don't have too much of a choice."

Collectively he heard everyone say "I swear upon the River Styx that I won't reveal anything that Percy Jackson has told me about this." In the distance he heard the rumble of thunder indicating the oath was accepted.

Just then a flash of light burned a few yards from the gathered demigods. When Percy opened his eyes his saw his dad, Aphrodite and Athena make their way over to the group. Hastily, Reyna, Hazel, Frank and Jason stood up and got down to kneel. Leo and Piper seeing their friend drop down to a knee followed their lead and did the same. Annabeth stood and bowed to her mother. Nico, Thalia, and Percy however did nothing. They stood but did neither kneel nor bow to the gods. The gods didn't comment on it.

The gods were dressed much the same as they had when Percy visited them in the throne room. Poseidon still had his khaki shorts and a Tommy Bahama shirt, Athena was still wearing her flowing white robes, and Aphrodite still adorned her pink chiton. Percy's dad was smiling at him with a hint of laughter in his eyes and Athena seemed to be scowling about something. Aphrodite though looked different than she was in the throne room. Instead of the crimson hair or a feral, slightly sadistic, smile, she now had shoulder length blonde hair with bangs covering most of her forehead. Her face was angelic with smooth, innocent features and golden eyes. Normally when Percy saw golden eyes on a person now he was immediately reminded of Luke being possessed by Kronos but the golden eyes on Aphrodite were comforting and relaxing. Rather than feeling apprehensive and tensing his body he felt himself staring deeply into her irises and wanting to discover the secrets they beheld. Aphrodite squealed as she approached Percy.

"Oh Percy!" the goddess exclaimed as she got nearer. Aphrodite pushed Athena aside so she was flanked by both Poseidon on her left and now Athena on her right. "Oh, it's even better than I thought! I just knew you were going to be such a heartbreaker."

Percy came back to himself after admiring her appearance. He cleared his throat awkwardly after remembering that his friends were surrounding him.

"Rise demigods" Athena spoke to the others. She sent a small glare to Aphrodite before turning to look at Percy fully. Feeling like he was being analyzed, Percy ignored the goddess and turned to his dad and giving a small smile. Poseidon also had a smile, though his was much larger, and his eyes crinkled from the laughter he contained at Athena's and Aphrodite's actions.

"Hey dad" Percy said addressing Poseidon.

Before Poseidon could even respond Athena stepped up to Percy and spoke.

"Perseus. We must talk of your task. I'm assuming you have already informed every one of your ensuing marriage pact?" She looked at the other demigods before nodding her head and continuing. "Good. There has been some slight change in plans though you can rest assure your marriage will continue once Aphrodite has found a suitable mate."

"I've already found some good candidates Percy" Aphrodite purred then stepped up into Percy's personal space. Behind him Percy could here a groan come from Piper and a mumbled "Gods mom, that's embarrassing. Please stop hitting on my friends." Percy took a step back and turned back to his dad.

"I thought you guys were coming to the airport to talk to me?" he asked the Sea God.

"We've unfortunately had a change in plans my son" Poseidon said. "It seems Miss Bird Brain here didn't know the situation nearly as well as she proposed." He smirked triumphantly at that. If there was one thing anyone could count on in the Greek pantheon it was the rivalry and one-upmanship between Poseidon and Athena. They both took every chance they could to show the other up.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked hesitantly.

 _Gods the last thing I need right now is to get between a fight between dad and Athena_ he thought to himself.

"Nothing truly important" Aphrodite chimed in. "Just some journey we had Hermes perform. Something about an armistice and a cold war. Boring stuff really. But what's really important are the women I've found as good matches. First we have a devil name Se-"

"No Aphrodite" Athena interjected. "That 'little journey' as you call it was reconnaissance we had Hermes do. And it changes everything."

Percy watched the back and forth between the gods feeling a sense of unease creep into his stomach.

"Lady Athena" Jason then said interrupting the argument brewing between the goddesses. "Umm what exactly do you mean about reconnaissance? Percy said you had it all figured out. Or he implied it at least."

Both goddesses then turned to look at Jason. Percy could feel Jason step back from the glare the two sent his way. Poseidon spoke then.

"What Athena is talking about nephew is the fact that the factions over in Japan are not actually at peace. Instead it seems that they are all in a sort of limbo phase. None of them actually want to go back to war from what we have gathered so far but they stand on a precipice with any one wrong move that could plunge them back into battle."

"Look at you using such big words Poseidon" Athena mocked her rival. "But yes, brother that is the general sense of what is going on between the Biblical Factions."

Percy felt himself starting to grow angry at the change. They had promised him that he'd find happiness and potential peace in Japan. Not more carnage and bloodshed. He'd been in enough wars for any person's lifetime. Feeling impertinent Percy spoke directly to the Goddess of Wisdom.

"So, what does this mean for me exactly? We can call off the mission now?" he asked hopefully.

"Did you listen to nothing Aphrodite or I had said since arriving Son of Poseidon" Athena said. She spoke the name Poseidon as if was a curse word. "You are still to be married. This just changes the political landscape of things."

"Political landscape?" Percy asked confused.

"Yes" Athena continued. "We are in the process of determining which of the factions are the strongest. They are all fairly similar but it does seem like the Fallen Angels have some edges currently. Hermes managed to dig up something related to a technology that will give them an ability neither of the others has. Aphrodite is looking more closely at potential partners there for now. If we cannot find a suitable woman we will then look to the Angels as they seem to have some weapons in their possession that would be extremely valuable. As a worst case we will look at Devils."

"Wait" Annabeth then spoke. "Mom, why does it even matter which of the factions is strongest? Percy said the goal was to form a peaceful and mutual alliance with the Christians."

"That was before" Athena said. "Now we know new information and are making adjustments."

Percy gulped afraid of just what those adjustments might be.

"What…" he began slowly. "What exactly are these… adjustments?"

"It is simple" Athena said turning her full attention squarely on Percy now. "We will incorporate you into the most powerful of the factions and you will provide the tipping point they need to be dominant. From there you will advise a course of action leading to war between the groups and help lead your faction to defeating the remaining two. Once victory is obtained we will announce the alliance between us Olympians and the Christians to the other pantheons."

Percy gaped at the casual way Athena just announced he was to lead yet another army in war. He turned and saw a similar expression on most of the other demigods as well. Nico just maintained his stony face though he did raise his eyebrow at Athena's plan. Annabeth nodded along with her mother as if it made complete sense.

Recovering from his shock he felt his anger at the goddess's words reach a boiling point. He might have withheld his yells from Athena in the past but he wasn't going to this time. Even if she was one of the worst gods to be on the bad side of he didn't care.

"WHAT!?" he yelled. "You said you wanted to prevent a war. Not start one. You promised me that my family and I would be safe and happy!"

"Calm yourself Perseu-" Athena tried to say but Percy overrode her.

"Calm myself?! Calm?! You come here demanding me to basically start another war - one which I might add could lead to the Christians declaring war on us - and then lead these people I don't even know to victory?! No! Not a chance in Hades. No not even that. Not a chance in Tartarus. Fuck you Athena!"

Behind and beside him he heard the other demigods gasp at his language. He thought he heard Thalia sigh before mumbling about "stupid Kelp-Heads". The goddess glowered and sharpened her eyes glaring at Percy. But Percy wasn't backing down this time. He gave in to the Council the first time because they gave his mom and step-dad something they always wanted and offered him happiness. But now they are forcing him into a war with a pantheon that he has no part of and might cause more demigod death's.

"Be very careful Sea Spawn" Athena spoke quietly and harshly. "I am not someone you want as your enemy. The Council has agreed to this and you will do it."

"Do not bend the truth Athena" Poseidon then said defending his son. "The Council was at an even split on this. My son is right. Nobody wants war and to force him to start one is outrageous not to mention dangerous."

"If the Council was split" Thalia said, "why is Athena saying they agreed to it?"

It was Aphrodite who answered this time. "A silly rule since the Council was formed and expanded to its current twelve members. When a vote is even the decision reverts to the King's choice."

"Of course, it does" Percy said sarcastically. "And let me guess, Zeus voted to start the war." Thunder rumbled in the sky and streaks of lightning flashed in the distance. Another sign of Zeus' displeasure at the disrespect.

"Yes" Athena said. "My father wisely listened to my council in this regard. He saw that this plan has the highest likelihood of succeeding and agreed to it."

"Well I don't give a damn" Percy said. "I'm not going to start a war. I've had enough fighting in my lifetime."

"We will get what we want in the end Perseus. You would do well to go along with the Council's decision." Athena stated.

"Mom" Annabeth then addressed. "Percy's going to need some help with this war. Maybe one of us should go along too. I know I can make sure things go according to plan."

Athena frowned at her daughter but it was Aphrodite who spoke.

"Don't even think about it Daughter of Athena. You had your chance. I gave you the opportunity for happiness with a great hero and leader and you threw it away. And for what? Pride? You thinking you knew what was best for everyone? No, this no longer concerns you. Stay out of this affair before something… untoward… should happen to you."

"Do NOT threaten my daughter Aphrodite" Athena forcefully said glaring at the goddess. She then turned and looked at her daughter calculatingly. "You are not wrong my daughter. Perhaps we should send someone else. Unfortunately, the immediate course is to integrate Perseus alone. Once he's established himself as a figure in the pantheon then we can consider sending along another of you. However, I should say it won't be you. You are needed here rebuilding Olympus. You have made great progress but there is much to be done still."

Percy could see Annabeth deflate at that. He felt a mix of emotions himself at the words. He was glad in a sense that Annabeth wouldn't be coming. Aphrodite was right. Annabeth did throw him away. It hurt thinking like that but it was hard to imagine anything else. He was promised happiness and having her around would just constantly remind him of his heartbreak. On the flip side he would really miss not having Annabeth there. Things might have been bad between them right now but they had always had each other's backs before. If there was one person that he could count on it was Annabeth. And he did still care about her. As much as he wished it, feelings didn't just magically disappear. And that's what made everything she said earlier hurt even worse. Percy saw Aphrodite giving him yet another pitying look. She probably was able to sense the turmoil in his feelings.

"My son has declared his intentions" Poseidon said. "He will not be party to starting a war and I think it is the right choice." He then turned his attention from the goddesses to look at his son. "Come with me Percy. We have a few more things to discuss before we send you back to the airport."

Eager to remove himself from the gathering he quickly followed. Before he took two steps though he felt Aphrodite grab his hands and pull him in a diagonal direction and away from the others.

"I have a small gift for you hero" she said. Before Percy even knew what was happening he was covered in a haze of pink perfume. Unprepared was he for the sudden attack by Aphrodite that he took a few deep breathes before coughing and bending over at his waist. He felt his eyes watering from the misting liquid and his skin felt tingly. It wasn't painful but it was certainly uncomfortable.

When Percy opened his eyes, he found that the perfume had finally dissipated though he was still coughing. Every time he coughed a small dose of the pink perfume escaped his mouth. It made him wonder just how much of it he ended up consuming.

"What did you do to me?" he asked through short gasps of breath.

"I have given you a gift. One that I have bestowed on only a few others. Julius Caesar himself, Benjamin Franklin another, and of course my favorite Paris of Troy. I think you will find it very useful with those that cross your string of life."

"But what exactly? Paris and Ben Franklin? What do they have in common?"

Aphrodite gave a tinkling laugh at his question. "Now where's the fun in my telling you? It's something you have to discover on your own my dear."

Percy scowled at the goddess but didn't say anything. If he learned anything from all his quests it's that you shouldn't insult a gift from any of the gods. He still wished she would tell him though.

Aphrodite ran her hand up his chest one more time, like she had in the throne room before, and stepped back vanishing into a mist and away from Camp Jupiter.

Percy turned to go back to his father who was now waiting patiently for his son. He began walking to up to his dad when Athena called out to him.

"Perseus" she said drawing his attention. "Remember your duty demigod. I will contact you again when we have more information about the factions. Prepare yourself for your marriage." And with that the other goddess flashed off causing the demigods around her to avert their eyes.

Percy rolled his eyes at Athena's actions and finally made his way over to his dad. He sighed when standing in front of the tall god and looked up sheepishly at him.

Poseidon seemed to sense what Percy wanted to say but hadn't actually said yet.

"I understand Percy" the god began. "None of this is what I wanted for you. I will support you in your choice to not start a war."

Percy felt relieved with his father's confession. He had been worried that the god wouldn't stand behind him and would have to deal with the aftermath himself. For the most part he'd still have to deal with the repercussions himself but he felt better knowing that if his dad could help him he would.

"However," Poseidon continued, "you must be careful going against the Council. The laws are clear on this and Athena is right. My brother has decreed you to start this war and you know how clever Athena is. She will work hard to find a way to make you start it."

They were silent for a moment as Percy absorbed his father's words. It wasn't anything he didn't know or expect but having it said out loud to him made him nervous.

 _So many things could go wrong_ Percy mused to himself. _It's unlikely they'll kill me at this point given that I agreed to the marriage but they could always change their minds. But this is right. I can't start a war. I've been in too many of them and seen so many horrible things. I won't let the demigods be dragged into this situation_.

He felt his resolve in his decision grow thinking about his fellow family members and friends. He wouldn't let the gods drag his parents into this further and he wouldn't start a war that the demigods might have to get involved in.

"I know dad. Thanks for supporting me anyways." Percy smiled at his father who smiled back.

"There is one other thing we must discuss my son." Poseidon said.

Percy cocked his head to the side in curiosity at his father's statement.

"Athena was supposed to talk about this but it seems she has gone back to Olympus. Probably to tell Zeus about your decision. I will inform you about it instead. It is probably more fitting this way as I was the one to prevent you from knowing of it before."

"Huh" Percy said. "What are you talking about?"

Poseidon gave a big sigh then. "Have you ever felt like you were missing something Percy. Ever felt like you were destined for more or felt incomplete?"

Percy tried to remember back through his life and everything that's happened to him. He did feel like he was constantly missing something or some piece of information. He could recall back to when he first found out he was a demigod and things just kind clicked in his life. All those strange accidents that seemed to happen to him. Finding out he was a demigod and monsters were attacking or threatening him explained quite a lot then. But he still wasn't complete then.

Then he remembered how he felt when he first received Anaklusmos. Every sword up to that point was clumsy and awkward in his hands. He just couldn't get the right balance. Then Chiron gave him Riptide, a gift from his father, and everything was right with the world. Riptide was smooth and perfectly balanced. Wielding the blade brought a sense of peace to Percy. Even more after learning about the sword's origins and Zoe Nightshade's tragic past. Once he had managed to gain the Hunter's friendship his sword felt even more whole. As if the blade had finally also found peace with it's past.

But even that wasn't enough to make Percy feel 100% complete. He still felt like there was something missing. But he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Yeah" he responded to his father. "I've always felt like… something… was missing. I mean it's not really that noticeable anymore since I found out I was a demigod and getting Riptide but it's always been in the back of my mind."

Poseidon nodded as if everything Percy said made sense.

"Yes, I always feared that" the god said. "That is probably because I have prevented you from experiencing a portion of yourself Percy."

Percy's jaw dropped. "What?" he asked. "What do you mean prevented me from a portion of myself?"

Poseidon looked ashamed about his actions but he answered Percy's questions.

"I did Percy. When you were born it seems that Chaos gifted you a mighty weapon. What is called a Sacred Gear. Many other beings in this world possess such a weapon though none other in the Greek or Roman pantheon. Chaos did not discriminate who received her gifts so any mortal could receive one at birth."

"But why haven't I known this before? If this came from Chaos I should be able to use it!" he exclaimed getting worked up. He loved his dad but to find out about this was painful. Almost a betrayal in Percy's eyes.

"Chaos is the creator of the universe but I am still a god. When I first sensed the Sacred Gear in you I knew that when my brother found out he wouldn't hesitate to strike you down. Regardless of any good you had done for Olympus. He can be paranoid and jealous of those with power as you've experienced. So, I locked it away. I used some of my immortal essence to prevent the Sacred Gear from manifesting."

Percy was still hurt about that. He might have realized that his father had protected him and done it in his best interests but he still upset.

"I just don't understand why. I could have used this weapon to help Olympus against Kronos! Against Gaia! I could have prevented all my friend's deaths!"

Poseidon frowned at that and shook his head. "No Percy. Your friend's deaths were destined by the Moirai. Do not diminish their sacrifices by claiming you could have saved them. They were heroes. Honor them. Cherish them. Remember them. And let them enjoy their eternal slumber in Elysium."

Percy turned his head down in shame. The deaths of his friends still haunted him. Beckendorf rested firmly as the most regrettable death as he did it to save Percy. Bianca and Zoe were next as he felt he could have saved them had he only been quicker or stronger or more observant. He would honor them but he didn't know if he'd ever be able to forgive himself for not saving them.

It seemed Poseidon could sense it was a losing battle and decided to continue speaking.

"For what it's worth I tried to release the magic I placed on your Gear before your fight against the Giants and Gaia. Zeus locking Olympus down prevented me from visiting and by the time our actual fight in Athens happened it was too late. When I unlock your Gear, you will become drowsy as your body adjusts to being whole and we didn't have time to deal with those repercussions then."

"Why now?" Percy asked hotly. "I mean we're at peace now so there isn't any reason to unlock this weapon."

At that Poseidon smirked. "It is one of my conditions to agreeing to the marriage pact. Zeus didn't realize you had the Sacred Gear until the fight at the Acropolis and by then he knew he still needed you and the other to defeat Gaia. After you defeated the goddess he wanted to kill you but myself and most of the Council restrained him. I explained about it being locked away and he seemed appeased. But after we agreed to you becoming the candidate for the marriage pact I reconvened the council and demanded to unlocking your Gear. It took Athena convincing Zeus that we needed to do it to show our superior strength to the Factions before he relented but it was finally agreed upon."

Percy looked over his body trying to sense where the Sacred Gear was stored. He could feel that it was somewhere in his body but he couldn't pinpoint where exactly. Now that he knew that he was looking for he felt the sense of incompleteness in his body. It yearned to be whole, to be one. He looked at his father, his eyes asking for the Gears release.

Poseidon nodded his head. "Come" he intoned.

Percy stepped up and waited for his father to make him complete. As Poseidon reached his hand up Percy closed his eyes, the anticipation getting to him. He shuffled on his feet, his ADHD acting up. When Poseidon rested his palm on Percy's forehead he felt a wave of calming coolness engulf his being. From his head to his toes, a chill shook his body. It lasted only a couple of seconds but for Percy those chills seemed to be never-ending. When Percy opened his eyes again he finally felt like everything was as it was supposed to be. He was complete; whole. He was Perseus Jackson as he was born to be. Finally.

A small nudging nipped in the back of his mind but Percy paid it no heed. For the first time in his life he was as he was supposed to be. The smile that grew on Percy's face was large and all encompassing. A burst of laughter exuded from the demigod and Percy felt true joy at finally experiencing what everyone else did. No longer would he feel fractured. No longer would he be wishing for something to fulfill the hole in his soul.

Poseidon looked down at his son and smiled with him. It was a genuine smile and matched Percy's in intensity. Percy might still be slightly upset at his dad for what he did but right now he was truly happy and he enveloped the god in a hug. Poseidon returned the gesture.

Pulling back Percy reached out into his body in search of the Sacred Gear. It seemed it was manifesting in two different locations: his chest and his left hand. The same nudging that reached out to him from before was there again but Percy tried focusing on the Gear itself.

"What does my Sacred Gear do exactly?" he questioned his father.

"I honestly don't know" the god answered. "There have been only two other times when a Sacred Gear has appeared in our Pantheon: one from a child of Zeus and the other from a child of Jupiter. Each was different. The first time was during the tail end of the Byzantine era and was from a Roman demigod. He had prevented the collapse and subsequent conquering of Constantinople for years. Sadly, he died and the very next year the Turks invaded and conquered the capital. His Sacred Gear seemed to give him some kind of power boost for a limited time. It wasn't a major boost but it was enough to make a small difference."

"The second time was during the late 18th century and was from a son of Zeus. He was heavily involved in the fighting of the French Revolution. It was suspected that he would have eventually become King until he was betrayed and murdered by his lover, a daughter of Eris. We never did find out what his Gear did exactly but it was highly suspected that it was related to something with Gravity as even his control over flight and wind was abnormal for a demigod son of Zeus."

Percy pondered on Poseidon's words wondering what his Gear would do. He would find out as soon as he could and then he would train harder than he ever had before. Nobody would die because he wasn't strong enough anymore.

"Why did it take so long for Zeus to realize I had the Gear? Surely he would have sensed it before?" he asked.

"No, he really wouldn't have. Gods would have only noticed had they been specifically looking for your strengths and abilities. I know for a fact that the only ones who did notice were myself, Artemis, and Athena. Though I do suspect both Kronos and Gaia had figured it out as well. The only time your uncle would had taken a real close look at you was when you returned his Master Bolt and the Godly weapon's essence was vastly superior to your Sacred Gear."

Percy nodded his head in understanding. He was getting tired now for some reason. He remembered something his father said about the process of releasing the Gear making him sleepy. Poseidon seemed to notice the change in his son and put his hands on his shoulder steadying him.

"It is time to go now my boy. Say goodbye to your friends and I'll send you back to your mother."

With a smirking, tired grin Percy turned around and slowly walked up to his friends. The pleasure of being whole was enough to make his body feel wobbly and he reached his hands out to the side to steady himself. He was almost acting as if he was drunk. When he arrived back at his friends he noticed that they all had smirking grins on their faces too. Even the ever-stoic Reyna.

"Well it seems this is it my friends" he announced dramatically. "I love you all and cherish our friendships. When you next see me, I shall have a ring on my finger and a woman on my arm." He giggled at the idea. "Don't worry though, you're all invited to the wedding. I need my best buds there for morale support yeah?"

Thalia stepped up to him. Then she gave him a smack right across the face. It seemed to sober Percy up a bit but he still felt on cloud-nine from being united with his Sacred Gear.

"Thanks, Thals" he said while rubbing his cheek. The daughter of Zeus nodded her head before giving Percy a big hug.

"You be good now you hear me Kelp-for-Brains" she said. "I expect you to still be the hero that the hunters and Artemis admire."

Percy nodded his head.

"You know me Pinecone face. We're all the same in my book."

Then she pulled away and let Hazel and Frank step up. Hazel had a sad smile on her face while Frank remained mostly even faced. Percy opened his arms up in a wide gesture and the 14-year-old daughter of Pluto stepped into his embrace. He gave his younger cousin a big squeeze before letting go and grasping Frank in a one-armed hug.

"Be good ok Percy" Frank said.

"I'll try Frank" Percy said still smirking. "You know me though, trouble seems to always find me." Frank shook his head as if truer words were never spoken and pulled Hazel back so another could take their place.

This time it was Reyna.

"It seems that you're once again acting the envoy Percy" the daughter of Bellona said. Percy just nodded. "Well if last time was anything to go by then this time should be a walk in the park. Hopefully there won't be some crazy warship floating over your new city trying to blow it up too." She said that last part while slyly giving the stink-eye to Leo who just gave a cheesy boyish grin. Percy laughed at the thought and gave Reyna a small hug. She pulled away and Leo took her place.

He seemed hesitant at first given their earlier argument so he just stuck his hand out and waited. Percy looked at it for a moment before grasping it back. He was still angry about Calypso so he decided that no words would be best for this farewell. Leo returned the sentiment.

As Leo pulled his hand away Piper reached up and grabbed Percy in a big hug. He was caught off guard by the action but eventually gave into the embrace. Jason stepped beside them and as Percy turned his head to look at him Jason had an exasperated smile on his face that seemed to say 'you just got to accept it sometimes'. As Piper pulled away she started speaking.

"Percy I'm so sorry about my mom and the gods. You shouldn't have to do this even if you want to help your parents. Just know that if there's anything I can do please let me know and I'll do it."

Percy felt a swell of emotion in his tiring body and smiled down at Piper. She was a good friend and she cared about everyone. A true daughter of Aphrodite if there ever was.

"Thanks Piper" he said back. "I'll let you know if there's anything." Percy then turned to Jason and gave him a bro hug.

"Gonna miss you bro" Jason said quietly in his ear. Percy pulled back slightly and nodded in agreement. If there was one thing Percy and Jason could relate to it was the burden of being a leader and making the difficult decisions. It bonded the two in a way neither was bonded with anyone else. A bromance as Percy had heard the girls of the Aphrodite cabin call it. He agreed. Jason was one of his best friends despite the limited time they'd known each other but when it came down to it Percy knew he could count on him. He clasped Jason's hand in a traditional Roman handshake. A sign of respect and faith between two people. Something people did when they trusted one another instead of the forearm handshake that allowed the parties to feel for concealed weapons. Most romans didn't engage in it.

Nico stepped up then. He eyed Percy before nodding his head. Percy looked back but Nico didn't speak. He smiled at his younger cousin and opened his mouth to speak before deciding to let it go. If anyone was able to visit it would probably be Nico with his Shadow Travelling and his mom did make him promise to visit. The thought turned Percy's smile into a smirk.

And then Annabeth stepped up to him. Percy turned and looked at her.

"Let's give them some space guys" Piper said. Percy felt grateful to the daughter of Aphrodite at that moment. If they were going to fight again he didn't want the others to witness this one too.

"Bye Percy" the others said as they started to walk off. He waved at them as they slowed disappeared in the distance. Annabeth still hadn't spoken though Percy could now see some light tears in her eyes.

"I don't really want to fight Annabeth" he began. "The last time we spoke was nothing but a huge fight and so was this time. I don't want to do it anymore."

Annabeth nodded before opening her mouth. "Look Percy" she said, "I'm sorry." Percy jumped back at that as Annabeth almost never apologized. Her pride wouldn't let her.

"Wha?" he whispered in shock.

"I said I was sorry Seaweed Brain." She too was speaking softly now. It was as if she was afraid the wind would carry her words and she didn't want to be eavesdropped. "I made a mistake. I thought that if we broke up you'd work harder and try to bring your grades up. I even devised a plan so you could do summer school and graduate in the winter and join me in New Rome for College."

"I just don't understand Annabeth" he said. "Why would you think that? What in the name of the Olympians gave you any indication that was something I could pull off after we broke up. I was working my ass off when we were together and my grades had improved a bunch but not to the extent I would need for something like that. And that was with you helping."

"I saw how hard you were working Percy. But you were also distracted by my presence." Percy tried to defend that but Annabeth forestalled him. "Don't even try to say otherwise Percy. We both know that as hard as you were working my being with you distracted you a lot. Even Paul and your mom commented on it."

Percy bit his tongue knowing she was right. Both Paul and his mother had said that when Annabeth was over helping him study they spent more time joking and kissing than actually working. Admitting that hurt.

"I knew" she continued, "that if I continued to be around your grades would slip again. So, I broke it off between us knowing that you'd work harder to be with me again. I just didn't foresee this whole situation." She said that last part dejected and a few tears streamed down her face.

He was quiet as he took in everything she was saying. Looking at her act so vulnerable was a bit unnerving for Percy. Annabeth was always this pillar of strength for him, always there to provide good counsel and advice on their quests and battles. She was always there helping the newer campers and guiding her brothers and sisters in her cabin. But the breakup seemed to have just as much of a negative impact on her as it did him and he could see that now. This whole debacle could have been avoided had her flaw not gotten the better of her.

"I gave you my everything Annabeth" Percy said. "I jumped into Tartarus for you and I gave up godhood for you. And you couldn't wait the extra year for me to join you in College? I just…" he broke off as he felt his own emotions rise up.

 _I'm not going to cry_ he said to himself. _I already shed all my tears for her. She was arrogant and snobby._ _She was trying to make decisions for me._ He was trying to focus on her negative qualities to get his anger to rise up again. He mostly failed.

"I know" she said through quiet sobs. Tears streaked down her face faster now. She finally realized just what it was she did and they were both paying the price.

"I'm in this position partially because of you" he said. "They picked me because I was strong and single. They rejected pretty much all the others because they were in a relationship. But not me. Not us."

Every word he said seemed to drive a nail through her as she visibly shuttered and cried harder.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry Percy. Please forgive me. I need you to forgive me." She practically begged. She reached out and threw herself around his body in a hug and let the tears stain his shirt. Her grip around his back was hard as she squeezed, refusing to let him go. He hesitated at first but eventually returned her embrace. She cried even harder at that.

"I…" he began but stopped. Did he really want to forgive her? Percy spent many nights crying in his room over the breakup. Only his mom saw how distraught he truly was. Annabeth had hurt him. Broke his heart and left him like he was a piece of trash. She made him feel like he wasn't good enough.

"I don't know if I can" he said quietly. "I want to. Gods do I want to."

"Then do it." She interjected. "Please. I'll do anything. I just need you in my life again. Don't hate me. We can work this out. I know we can."

"But," Percy continued, "Annabeth, you really hurt me. You made me feel like I wasn't worth anything and tossed me aside. Why should I forgive you for that? How _can_ I forgive you for that?"

"I made a mistake" she sobbed again. "I just wanted what was best for you. Please Percy, you're my best friend. I love you."

She loved him. She loved him and she broke his heart. He felt his body rack with pain at her admission. He wanted to deny it but he loved her too. Even after their cruel words to each other and their painful breakup he still loved her. He suspected a part of him always would.

But then he remembered his task and how he was going to be married. Could he go into an arranged marriage loving another woman? He didn't know. But he did know it wouldn't be fair to either him or Annabeth or whoever his future spouse was if he continued a romantic relationship with Annabeth.

"Wise girl" he spoke softly. She gave him a small smile at the nickname. It was back to endearing between them. "Wise girl, you know what they want me to do. I'm getting married once they finally find someone for me. It wouldn't be fair to anyone if we started anything."

The smile she had on her face slowly faded with each of his passing words. The brief reprieve from tears in her eyes started back up again and Percy could feel tears of his own starting now as well. They stared into each other's eyes.

"I'll always love you Wise Girl" he said stroking a loose bang of hair. "Can we at least still be friends? I'd still like to talk to you." he asked with a naïve hope. Maybe he couldn't have her in his life the way they both wanted but after so much happened between he couldn't deny he wanted her in his life in some way. The last few months with no contact taught him that lesson the hard way.

Instead of answering him she grabbed him by the back of the neck and pulled him to her lips. It was not a gentle kiss. He could feel a burning passion that conveyed all her unspoken emotions to him. Her lips were soft against his and he could taste the saltiness from her tears. Her hands were rough upon his neck, intertwining her knuckles and pulling herself up to meet him. They were pressed close together and there was practically no distance between them. It was a kiss to make up for all their time apart he knew.

When they came up for air he still felt drowsy but now it was from the kiss rather than the activation of his Sacred Gear. It was one of the best kisses he'd ever experience. And it was probably the last he'd ever share with her. It was worth it.

"Listen to me Seaweed Brain" she said. "I will always love you. I know that the gods want you to get married but you aren't at the alter yet. I'll find a way to make things work for everyone. Athena always has a plan afterall."

With that final rant Annabeth turned around and stormed off. Percy watched her retreating form remembering all the good times they'd had together. She still loved him and he still loved her. But he couldn't forget the pain she caused him. Aphrodite promised him that he'd find happiness in Japan. He wouldn't give that up now. If being with Annabeth taught him one thing it was that people can change and hurt even the ones they love. It was a sad thought but Percy hoped he wouldn't experience it again.

"Bye Wise Girl" he whispered into the wind. The breeze broke through his words scattering his voice into the infinite. He never did get an answer from her about being friends.

Tears still slowly streaked down his cheeks when the familiar presence of his father stepped up beside him watching Annabeth's figure slowly disappear into the city. Neither of them spoke and the bubbling of the lake was the only sound near them. Off in the distance they could still hear the sounds of the Legion training.

"I'm sorry Percy" Poseidon said after they lost track of the daughter of Athena. "I wish I had the answers for you but women confuse even me with all my experience."

Percy nodded his head.

"I know what you feel for her" Poseidon then continued. "It is something I feel for all the women I have loved. She will always be with you in your heart Percy but you would do well to remember that she broke it. Now it's time we find a woman who is worthy of your love and care. Your mother was a queen among women and we will find a similar woman for you."

Percy still didn't speak. He looked to his father and waited for him to act.

"It's time for you to leave my son. Your plane departs in 20 minutes and is boarding as we speak."

Percy stood up tall at that and felt his resolve harder. He would do his duty for his father and the Council and he would give his mom the happiness she deserved.

"I'm ready" he said back to the god.

Poseidon nodded and put his hand on his forehead once more. As Percy closed his eyes waiting to be flashed to the airport he heard Poseidon speak one last time.

"I'm am proud of you Percy. You are the greatest demigod of this age. Have faith and things will work out."

(Line Break)

The next thing Percy knew he was standing in line next to his mother holding his carryon and his plane ticket. Sally let out a deep sigh and grabbed him in an embrace.

"Thank the Gods you're back" she said. "I thought you were going to miss the flight."

Percy hugged his mom back and breathed in the scent of her blueberry hair shampoo. It was comforting and that was exactly what Percy needed after everything with his friends. He smiled at the thought and let his drowsiness deepen.

The line moved slowly but in just a few short minutes he was seated between his step-father and mother waiting to travel to the land of the Rising Sun. He snuggled deep into his seat and closed his eyes waiting for sleep to overtake him. He sensed a purring in his body and smiled at finally feeling whole. His thoughts drifted off and before he knew it he was slowly entering the realm of Morpheus. His last thought before letting Hypnos take over his mind was the fact that his father was right. Annabeth did break his heart. Love and hate were tricky emotions. Two sides of the same coin. One time it's heads. The next it's tails. But they always evened out in the end. He just hoped that he found a balance between them now.


	9. Chapter 7: New Beginnings

Chapter 7: New Beginnings

It seemed the gods were at least a little apologetic for the inconvenience the move caused Sally and Paul as when they reached their two-story house in the suburbs of Kuoh Town most of their belongings had already been unpacked and organized. Everything was put away in a somewhat logical place. Cups and plates went in cabinets over the stove and counters; the clocks were already hanging on the walls and set to the correct time for Japan; even the little trinkets and knick-knacks that Sally collected over the years were displayed throughout the hallways and living room. It was almost perfect. Sally still moved a few things around to suit her wants. Percy suspected it was more likely a little of that rebellious personality that supposedly drew Poseidon's attention in the first place. Just a little rub-it-in-your-face attitude from your typical mortal to immortal gods. Percy just hoped Athena and Hera, the two most likely to have set everything up, didn't visit only to find their work changed up.

When they first arrived at their new house everyone looked up in amazement at how the white marble had matched the other houses in the area and at the same time differentiated it. Other houses seemed to be made from clay or wood with plastic casing; not Percy's though. The front had a balcony like the next-door neighbor but whereas the neighbors had a door at the side of the house, Percy's house had a staircase leading right to the middle of the home and a giant blue door with a trident door knocker to request entry. Percy's balcony was held up by Grecian columns that extended from a layer of marble just between the house and the yard up to the base of the balcony. It was gaudy looking but Percy couldn't help admiring the regality of it as well. Windows lined both stories of the house and the slanted roof was sloped and designed with little waves to look more elegant than neighboring houses. Normally slants and columns don't really go together but somehow this worked and all three had jaws open taking it all in.

As they opened the door and saw most everything all set up they also noticed a letter lying on the dining room table addressed to Percy. He hesitated only a moment before pulling the letter out of the envelope and began reading aloud to both his mom and step-dad.

"Dear Percy" he began.

"As you may have note-not-noticed we have already stepped up your meho." He looked up to see his mom giving him an encouraging smile and Paul with a small smile on his face as well. They could have read this quicker than him but they would let him do it. In Paul's words "practice makes perfect" and apparently that was even more true for dyslexic demigods.

"Umm… sorry. Let me try again." He grinned back at them.

 _"Dear Percy,_

 _As you may have noticed, we have already set-up your home. Both Hera and I organized this based on your mother's previous design at your apartment in New York and followed a similar style here. Aphrodite added a few things to "spruce it up" as she said. Also, Apollo left you a gift in your bedroom and Hermes left you something in the garage. Hermes' gift is your payment for your services over the past few years. He said to say "consider us even". We will be in contact with you in the next two to three months with more information about the faction you will marry into but in the meantime, you are to gather intel on the factions. Anything useful should be relayed to either myself, my father, or your own father immediately. Remember your duty demigod._

 _We will talk soon,_

 _Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, Battle Strategy, Handcrafts, Useful Arts and Advisor to the King_

 _Post Script: I hope your first day of school is enlightening._

Percy struggled to get through the letter and when he did he felt mixed emotions. He felt proud at having read the letter but more than that he felt angry at Athena's not so subtle jab at his intelligence again. Her arrogance once more reared its ugly head as she listed all her titles unnecessarily. Looking up he could see that Paul was uncomfortable with the contents of the letter but his mom was angry with it. She was slowly getting more and more exposed to how the gods actually acted with demigods and it only made her furious. Fortunately, she didn't say anything this time and Percy released a breath he didn't even know he was holding.

Hoping to diffuse the situation, Percy gave his mom a rueful smile and ripped the letter in half, then quarters. It certainly made him feel better and it apparently gave his mother some pleasure too as she let her anger go and let out a soft laugh. Paul looked between the two before shaking his head and moving things along.

"Why don't we go check the garage" he said. "I want to make sure Hermes delivered the car with everything else and we can see what he left you."

"Sounds good to me" Percy said back.

It took them a few moments to actually find the hallway that led to the door to the garage but once they did it was pretty obvious what Hermes gift had been. Paul's blue Prius was situated on the right-hand side of the garage but on the left, was a blue and green motorcycle. It had a curved seat and was naked, showing no coverings on the engine. The tires were thick and could be used on both the streets and be taken off-road. The parts of the motorcycle that were covered blended to look like the sea and where the typical flames design that would appear on a car or bike were replaced with silver wave like designs. Sally gave a slight gasp when she saw the bike but Percy felt a grin grow on his face and immediately went over to it. He found another letter laying across the seat. It was from Hermes.

 _"Cousin,_

 _I assume you've found my gift if you're reading this. The motorcycle is the Ducati Hypermotard 939SP. It's one of the best on the market today and can be used to take you anywhere. I wanted to go with an orange color but when your father heard about this he insisted on the sea green. This gift should be considered payment for all the help you've done for me over the past few years. Plus, maybe a few more deliveries I have here in Japan as well. I'm sure with it you can impress the ladies around town. Nobody ever said you couldn't have a little fun before your marriage eh?"_

 _Enjoy!_

 _Your cousin, Hermes_ "

Percy turned to look at his mom but before he could even speak she already beat him to it.

"No" she said.

"Mom-" he began again only to be cut off once more.

"Absolutely not Percy. Motorcycles are dangerous and with your luck you'll have crashed this thing within the month. No."

"Mom please?!" Percy practically begged. "This is amazing. The gods don't ever give gifts unless their forced to but it really looks like Hermes did this one on his own. I'll do anything! Just let me keep it."

"I said no Percy. Now that's final." The conviction out of Sally's voice left Percy no room to argue. When his mom's mind was made up that was all there was too it. Thankfully a voice from the high heavens started defending Percy then.

"Sally" Paul began, "maybe we could consider at least letting him keep it. Percy's almost an adult now and gods only knows he's definitely mature enough."

Sally then turned on her husband with a slightly incredulous look to her. That was short lived though as it morphed into one of anger.

"No Paul. I will not have my baby riding around on that death contraption. You understand how dangerous his life is. I mean look at your car!" she said while pointing at the hoof print on the hood of the Prius. They hadn't gotten around to getting the indent fixed and somehow after a year it had become somewhat of a reminder to everyone that anything could happen to Percy at any time with his father's side of the family. "He doesn't even know how to drive it! He'll get hurt for sure."

"But I can learn mom." Percy quickly said. "I'll take all the tests and do all the studying. I'll get all the safety gear and wear it every time. I'll do all the maintenance myself and you won't have to worry about anything. Just please let me keep it!"

There was a moment of quiet between them. It seemed Sally was mulling over her son's words but when Percy looked into her face he saw nothing but resolve. Despite their best attempts both he and Paul failed.

"I said NO Percy. Now that's it. Another word about it and you're grounded until school starts in two weeks." Sally gave Percy one last pointed look, as if daring him to actually speak about the bike, then promptly turned and went back into the house with a smile of satisfaction.

Paul turned to his step-son as soon as he saw Sally disappear into the house.

"I'm sorry Percy. I tried. Unfortunately, your mom has final say on matters like this. I don't really like sleeping with one eye open, if you know what I mean." He gave a self-deprecating smile at that and pat Percy on the back before walking back inside himself.

Percy turned away from the door and went over to the bike. He admired how sleek and stylish the machine was. Every inch was compact and designed for speed and control. For combined street and off-road travel there probably wasn't a better motorcycle on the market today. Percy ran his hand up the seat from the tailpipe all the way to the handles trying to imagine himself on it. He gave a heavy sigh and turned back inside away from his present.

Still feeling down about the bike and admittedly still tired from some jetlag he found his mother changing the positioning of some of the pictures on the wall. She turned when she heard him and went over to give him a hug.

"I know you're upset Percy but it's for the best. We'll keep it in the garage for now considering it's a gift from Hermes but we'll sell it in a few months. We can use the money to go to your college fund." Sometimes it seemed as if Sally simply ignored the reason for the move in the first place. He had a gut feeling telling him that in a few months things would already be well on their way to the complicated scenario that the gods were arranging for him.

"Sure mom" he said just to placate her. "I think I'm going to head up to my room now. Do you know where it is?"

Sally pointed up the stairs in an offhand manner. "It's upstairs I believe. Paul and I are in the master bedroom down here on the first floor and there is a nursery for the baby next door to us. Your room and all the guest rooms are on the second floor." They released their grip on each other and Percy made his way upstairs to find his room.

It wasn't difficult to locate. Upstairs was a hallway that led to six different rooms. The first one on the left was a bathroom, complete with a shower and toilet. Across the way was the first of the guest rooms. It was pretty bland with tan colored walls and a queen size bed along with a dresser to store any clothes that were brought. To the left was another guest room except this one was darker in color. The walls were painted a deep midnight blue with a matching comforter on a full-size bed.

 _Must be for when Nico visits_ he thought to himself.

Across the hall from that one was a third guest room. This one was left with white walls and pure white comforter on a queen size bed. It made Percy think of angels at seeing how pure and virginal everything about the room felt. There were a few dressers in this room but much like the previous two it was fairly bland.

He closed the door and went diagonally across and opened the last door on the right. It was a second bathroom but this one was bigger than the first. It was filled with both a tub and a weird shower to offer both an American and a Japanese feeling to it and the counters were made of marble. A large mirror covered the wall above two sinks so multiple people could use the bathroom at one time. The toilet sat in the far corner in the room next to a window that overlooked the street. It was the largest bathroom he'd ever seen for one person.

Retreating, he turned around and came across his room. It was fairly obvious it was his room as the starfish that hung on his door said the name Percy on it. He felt slightly nervous but steeled his nerves and opened the door. He didn't expect what he saw but he certainly didn't feel bad about it. Inside was almost an exact replica of his room back in Manhattan. The same posters of _The Eagles_ and _The Killers_ were hung up on the walls. The same queen size bed with sea themed comforter and sheets sat on the back wall. Off to the side was a table that rested an alarm clock he didn't own back in New York. It had a sticky note on it that read "from Apollo". It was fitting that the god of the sun would leave him an alarm clock somehow.

The same oak desk was across the room and filled with all his books on Greek Mythology. When he went over to the small collection he found that there also happened to be a few new ones as he didn't remembering owning; _From Samurai to Kamikaze: A History of Japanese Warfare_ and _Imperial Japan: A Look at the Ruling Dynasties_. Those books were in Japanese and the gods were definitely right about his dyslexia not being improved by the blessing. He might even go so far as to say that it was worse considering all the squiggly lines of the language seemed to jump everywhere. He heaved a heavy sigh and collapsed on the bed. Before he knew it, he was asleep.

And that was how the first week and a half went. He'd get up every day and go train. He found the gods left a training room in the basement so he could practice his sword fighting and wrestling skills. It even had a boxing bag in the corner to help improve his feet work which Percy found himself enjoying a surprising amount. When he wasn't helping his mother move something around in the kitchen or living room he was in the basement staying in shape. At night he joined his parents in the living room as they turned on tv. The gods had been even more generous it seemed as when they turned the television on they found a whole selection of channels strictly in English. He'd never seen his mother give such a breath of relief.

With only two days before school started Percy began feeling cabin fever. He'd been cooped up for too long and needed to get outside. His mom had only gone out to do some grocery shopping with Paul but other than that she was mainly confined to the house due to her pregnancy. It would only be a few more weeks until his little sister was born and nobody wanted to chance something happening now. According to her the town was pretty easy to navigate as the streets were in a similar gridlock style as some of the cities back in the U.S. though there were a few roads that led their own way. So, the next day Percy threw on some gym shorts and his camp t-shirt, grabbed riptide and made his way outside.

His body had finally adjusted to the time difference so it was about 10 in the morning. The sun was shining down providing warmth throughout his body and he felt a grin grow on his face. Not too many people littered the roads so Percy didn't need to worry about pedestrian traffic though he did still come across some teenagers his own age. He began his training run at a decent jog and ran up and down a 30-block radius. He paid particularly close attention to his surroundings in an effort to learn them quicker and so he could get home faster.

One thing Percy quickly noticed about Kuoh town was the fact that the suburbs seemed fairly close to the downtown district. In fact, the further Percy went from his house the more he noticed that the number of shops increased.

 _So, I guess the gods kept us pretty far from downtown_ he thought to himself. He didn't exactly understand why but he assumed it had to do with the fact that in the opposite direction he'd find the school and park Paul had mentioned. That was actually one of the few things that attracted Percy to the idea of going for a run in the first place. Apparently, Paul had gone into the park one day to get a break from his lesson planning at the school and he came across a giant fountain in the middle. Percy was intrigued and wanted to find it as well. Now realizing just where he was, Percy quickly turned around and began running in the opposite direction.

Percy was warmed up by this point so he turned on his jets. His slow jog gradually increased into a quick jog, then a slow run, and now that he was motivated to find the park, that run increased into practically a full-on sprint. The people he passed on the roads looked at him nervously and he distinctly heard one elderly man ask him in Japanese if he was alright. Percy quickly responded he was fine and, without slowing down, continued for another 30 minutes until he reached the park.

It was reminiscent of Central Park though it was smaller in scale. However, Percy did notice that there were plenty more trees than his hometown park and that put Percy slightly on edge. More trees meant less visibility and less visibility meant a higher likelihood of being attacked. But then Percy remembered that he was in Japan and not the U.S. or the Ancient Lands so he didn't have to worry about any monster attacks. He gave a light chuckle at his own paranoia and started to slow down when he noticed the fountain in the distance.

Paul had been right when he described it as giant as the top of the fountain was easily three times Percy's height. It was shallow, maybe only going as deep as his knees, but it was decently wide still. The water sprayed out from the top in all directions and gave a cool mist off that eased Percy's tired muscles. He took it all in and enjoyed the comforting bliss of the water. Coins littered the bottom of the fountain telling him this was a wishing fountain. He only had drachmas on him but with the mist he figured this would be a good spot to make an Iris Message if he needed to.

As he was resting against the fountain he began stretching his tight leg muscles when he heard some voices across from him. They were muffled but with his increased hearing from his latent demigod abilities he could make out the conversation.

"Will you look at the ass on her?" one of the voices asked.

"Oh, she's got it all. 34-26-32. Very nice measurements." A second voice added.

"I just want to squeeze the giant boobs. I'd get my face right between them and give her a motorboat she'd never forget."

 _Yeah._ Percy thought. _Probably because she'd slap you for groping her._

If there was one thing being a demigod and training for years at camp taught him it was women were just as capable as men and could easily kick his ass just like he could theirs.

Percy slowly started making his way across the fountain to see who was actually having this conversation. What he saw didn't surprise him in the least. All lined up in a row with binoculars were three teenage males wearing normal street clothes. In the distance Percy could make out a group of teenage girls doing yoga. As he approached he heard the three continue their conversation.

"How do you know what her measurements are Motohama? You're always able to tell us exactly what they are?" one of them asked.

"It's a gift" the kid named Motohama said. "My glasses enable me to look at a woman and just instinctively know."

The glasses that Motohama wore were square in general shape though they did round out at the bottom. He was wearing a grey buttoned-down shirt and had long flowing black hair that ended just after his neck. The hair flaired out from the top of his head resulting in bangs that partially covered his glasses. He was lying down on the grass so Percy could only estimate his height at around 5 feet 8 inches.

To his immediate right was another teenager though he was taller than Motohama. Maybe around 5 feet 10 inches in total. He wore a black t-shirt that lacked any logos or designs on it but the smile he had could only be described as lecherous. He had the slanted eyes that were typical of those of Asian descent and it looked like he shaved his head bald if the very minor growth of hair was any indication. He turned away from his binoculars to look at Motohama and gave his friend a conspiratorial smile.

"You're so lucky" the guy said. "I'd be using that superpower of yours every day and every night saving the images away for the spank bank."

Then the last guy spoke up. He was on the far right and was somewhere in the middle range of height to his two friends. Most likely about 5 feet 9 inches. He had longer and thicker hair than Motohama though his were a deep chestnut brown color. This last kid had a yellow button down that was clearly unbuttoned though Percy couldn't tell what his undershirt was due to him laying down.

"You're one to talk Matsuda" the last guy said. "I mean look at you. You were a sports star and you could have gotten any girl you wanted. You didn't need some superpowers like Motohama or myself."

Motohama gave a condescending scoff at that. "And what superpower do you have Issei? The only ability I've ever seen you do is fall asleep in history."

"I got plenty of abilities" said a defending Issei. "They're just taking a while to show up is all. You'll see. This will be the year. I'm going to go into school and seduce all the giant breasted ladies. Then they're gonna be lining up to join the Harem of Issei Hyoudou!"

By this point all three friends were standing up. His height guesses were accurate but he could see the Issei kid had a red undershirt on now. Percy gave a laughing scoff when he heard Issei speak. Unfortunately, it wasn't quiet enough and the three heard him. They turned around quickly and gave him a glare that he supposed was meant to be intimating. Percy definitely laughed at that.

"Yeah I can see all the women just lining up for you three now" Percy said.

"What's it to you?" the guy named Matsuda asked. He tried glaring even more but Percy just smiled back at him. If there was one thing Percy was good at it was pissing people off.

"I bet between the three of you you've never even kissed a girl." Percy continued. Maybe spending time with Thalia had rubbed off on Percy as he wouldn't normally act this way towards anyone but he called bullshit when he saw it.

"Of course we have," Issei said. He looked uncomfortable saying that but he quickly turned his weak defense into an attack. "Who are you anyway? I've never seen you before."

"My name's Percy" he said. "Now why don't you three run along before those ladies spot you spying on them."

"Please" Motohama said. "We're too far away for them to see us. Besides it's not like we care. Those ladies are meant to be spied on. They were asking for it just sitting in the park doing yoga. It would be rude of us not to watch them."

Percy frowned at that. It reminded him distinctly of some things he remembered Gabe saying when he was younger. Gabe was obviously a piece of shit and any lesson he taught Percy was automatically null and void. Not to mention that just as a general principle the kind of attitude the three guys had was borderline rapist. Artemis would have already changed all three of them into deer to hunt at this point.

"You won't ever get a girl if you don't respect them." Percy said. "Nobody wants to date someone just because you only find them attractive."

"Nobody asked you!" Matsuda replied fiercely. "We'll get all the girls in our harems doing it our way! Now why don't you just run along. You're going to get us caught."

Percy gave one of strongest wolf glares and the three flinched back. He could see a losing fight when he had one and this was definitely a losing fight. He couldn't get people he didn't know to change overnight so he stretched one final time and got ready to run again. He promised himself he'd make an effort to watch these three though. If they were willing to spy on women out in the open like this he didn't want to know what else they might be willing to do.

He began to run then when he had an idea. It was a vindictive idea but he thought it might teach the three boys a lesson. So, Percy turned slightly and started running at a 90-degree angle through some trees. He noticed that the three had gone back prone on the ground and went back to watching the ladies in the distance. Percy nodded his head at seeing this and immediately turned and ran parallel to the boys before he came into the clearing where the girls were doing yoga.

As one all the women turned their heads to get a look at Percy. He felt a little uncomfortable from all the stares but he stayed a bit to the shadows so the three friends had difficulty spotting him. That's when he began talking.

"Hey ladies" he said. "My name's Percy and I was just running in the park when I noticed that some guys back there were watching you with binoculars. I tried to get them to stop but short of actually kicking their asses there isn't much I can do. I thought you might want to know."

A few of the women turned discretely at the direction Percy had pointed out and they gave a deep sigh.

"It's that damn Perverted Trio again" one of the girls said.

"Of course it is Katase," said a second one. "I didn't even need to check to know it was those three."

"Umm…" Percy said, "you don't seem all that surprised. Does this kind of thing happen often?"

As one, all the girls nodded their heads. This caused Percy to frown even more. Spying on women was disrespectful and degrading to them. He had enough strong women figures in his life to recognize this and was definitely angry at those three.

"Do you want me to kick their ass then? I just moved here so I didn't want to cause too many problems already but it seems like this might be necessary."

A third girl chimed in then. "No that's ok. Thank you though. We'll just go and kick their asses ourselves."

"Damn right Murayama!" the girl name Katase said. They all scrambled to get off their yoga mats and reached down to grab a long piece of hallow wood in the shape and length of a sword. Percy took a peek in the direction of the guys and noticed that they hadn't moved yet. They probably just thought that the women were changing position but, before Percy could even register what was going on, the girls rushed off in the boys' direction.

Shouts of "I'm going to get you Motohama" and "You're such a pervert Matsuda" and "Get back here Issei" could be heard in the distance. Percy winced when he heard the recognizable sounds of wood whacking flesh and was extraordinarily glad he wasn't over there right then. It only lasted for a few minutes but those few minutes were enough to convince Percy that this group of girls was definitely not one to cross in the future. He waited patiently for them to return. The looks of laughter and smiles left him feeling good though he did feel sorry the three boys had to get beat up to learn their lesson. He just hoped it stuck.

"Well it looks like you guys are alright" Percy said. "I'm sorry you had to deal with that but I'm glad you got a chance to teach them a lesson. And by the sounds of it it's one they won't soon forget." He laughed a bit at that last sentence but was brought short by the girls talking again.

"I doubt it" the girl named Murayama said. "We have to beat them up about every week for their peeping. Those three are the Perverted Trio. They'll never change their ways."

It was a sobering thought and Percy felt bad. He really hoped Artemis didn't find them if she ever visited him. Then again, maybe if she turned them into girls they might actually learn their lesson then.

Feeling slightly awkward by that point Percy tried to make a quick getaway.

"Alright then. Sorry for the problems. It seems like you guys got everything in hand but if you need help in the future just let me know. I'll see you around." He then began trying to run off but found himself surrounded in a circle of women. They didn't appear hostile but Percy felt his hand drift to his pocket where Riptide rested anyway. Better to be safe than sorry.

He gulped and felt some sweat roll down his head to his back. He just heard and saw how vicious these women could be. Maybe they wouldn't be as bad as the hunters were but he certainly wasn't going to test them. He definitely did not want to get hit with wooden swords right now.

"What's the hurry" Murayama asked. Clearly, she along with the one named Katase were the leaders of this group. "You said your name was Percy?"

Percy nodded his head. "Yes. Percy Jackson. As I mentioned, I just moved here with my mom and step-dad for his new job."

"That's pretty cool" Katase said then. She was standing next to Murayama so Percy fortunately didn't have to turn his head far to address her.

The conversation seemed fairly innocent so Percy just smiled at the group. They were definitely better than the Perverted Trio and Percy thought he could use some friends here.

"Yeah. Paul is going to be a new teacher at Kuoh Academy so we moved into the neighborhood."

"Oh really?" one of the other girls asked then. Percy hadn't heard her name but he nodded and gave a smile back to her.

"Does that mean you're going to Kuoh Academy as well?" Another girl asked.

"Yes. I'm supposed to be started in my second year if I understand how the school system works. Everything is still new for me so I'm not quite sure how it all works yet."

"We're going to be second year students at Kuoh Academy too!" Katase said. "Maybe we'll be in the same classes."

"That would be pretty nice actually." He said. "I don't really know anyone here so it might be nice recognizing somebody."

It was starting to get late at this point and the sun was already halfway past the midpoint in the sky indicating that it was more than likely afternoon time. He promised his mom that he'd only be gone a few hours so he knew it was time to head home now. Before he could relay that to the girls though they tried asking him more questions.

"Where did you move from Percy" one of the girls behind him asked.

"Where do you live?" another questioned.

"Do you want to go karaoke with us later" Katase asked. The first two Percy expected but definitely not the last one.

"Well I just moved here from New York. In the United States that is. And as for where I live, it's actually pretty close by. Only about 20 minutes away from here. And umm… is karaoke like a thing people do here? It's usually only something people do when they get drunk at bars back in New York."

The girls giggled at that. "Yeah it's really popular here" Katase said. "A lot of days kids from school head on down to the karaoke club and spend their afternoons there. So, do you want to go with us?" she asked with a hopeful gleam in her eye. Percy didn't recognize that though. He might be more experienced now but he was still fairly oblivious when it came to the fairer sex.

"I wish I could. We don't really do things like that back in the U.S. and it sounds pretty fun. Unfortunately, I told my mom I'd be home a little while ago so I got to get going. But thanks for the offer though. Maybe we can do it some other time?"

He could see the girls deflate a bit at his rejection but when he offered to go another time they all got visibly happy at that. He didn't quite know why but he smiled at their happiness. It felt good to make people happy.

"We're going to hold you to that Percy" Katase said. "We'll show you how to have fun Japanese style!" the other girls laughed and smiled at him.

"I got to go now" Percy said. The girls started opening the little circle that encompassed him and he walked out. He gave a little wave before he took off on a fast jog through the trees trying to get back to the main path that led to home. In the distance he heard more giggling laughter from the women and the sounds of them picking up their gear and leaving the clearing.

(Line Break)

It had been made another 25 minutes since Percy left the group of girls and he still hadn't found the main path yet. There were many small side paths that wound around the park but not the main one that he could follow till he reached the exit. In that time the trees felt more constricting and ominous. The shadows grew deeper with the setting sun and Percy was starting to feel like something was following him. He slowed his jog down to conserve what energy he still had and turned his head around watching his surroundings. It was moments like these that he was extremely grateful that he had ADHD.

His hand dropped down to his pocket and he pulled Riptide in her pen form out. He didn't uncap her yet but he wanted his weapon at the ready in case anything did jump out. Percy didn't know what was watching him but he knew it was strong if the gut feeling he was experiencing was anything to go by. One of the tell-tale signs that something was wrong was the lack of noise and people around. He hadn't picked up on it for years but he found that when the animals went quiet and people seemed to suddenly just disappear there was probably something about to attack.

 _It's probably one of those Devils or Fallen Angels_ he thought to himself. Of the three factions they seemed like the most likely to attack a human. _Or a demigod in my case_.

The sun was still shining but the tree tops seemed to reach out and prevent the sunlight from reaching the ground. He was in a fairly enclosed area with lots of tree cover in case of ranged attacks. One of the first things he learned about warfare at camp was to know your surroundings. Unfortunately, Percy didn't know this area well yet but he did know that the trees could give him an advantage based on his quickness and potential cover.

He stepped on a twig that was lying in the middle of the path he was on and froze. Percy scanned the woods immediately to see if his blunder antagonized whatever was watching him. Without moving a muscle, Percy remained motionless for about five minutes before heaving a sigh of relief and resumed walking. He was still on edge but he relaxed his posture slightly now. If whatever it was hadn't attacked by then then whatever bible creature it was probably wasn't going to attack him now.

Percy was making slow progress when he finally saw an opening in his path leading to a much larger one.

 _Thank the gods! The main path. Finally!_

He quickly started making his way there when he heard it. It was a low sound, almost like a cross between a growl and a hiss. Immediately he uncapped Riptide and he felt movement from behind him. The wind shifted and carried a terrible odor that only thing had: Monster. And more specifically he remembered this particular scent from years ago. It was so bad that he ended up committing it to memory. Which obviously turned out to be both good and bad because who would want to actually remember a terrible monster smell and it gave Percy a chance to remember the beast.

Percy quickly dropped to the ground and turned around just in time to see a giant paw try and swipe where he had been standing previously. It wasn't the biggest paw he'd ever seen but it was certainly in the top three behind Kampe and the Nemean Lion. The beast roared at Percy and the white fangs from the front jaw glistened with saliva.

In front of Percy stood the Chimera; the fearsome beast that raged through ancient Lycia and was slain by his brothers Pegasus and Bellerophon. The Chimera was as fierce as ever with it's lions head, goat second head and snakehead tail swishing back and forth menacingly. The last time Percy encountered this monster ended up with him being bitten by the snake and falling 630 feet down into the Mississippi River. He wasn't looking forward to a rematch.

A brief pause occurred between Percy and the Chimera but was quickly demolished when the Chimera realized who its opponent was. It seemed Percy wasn't the only one to remember their previous matchup. With another roar the Chimera charged and closed the distance between it and Percy. It tried to bring its goat's head down and ram Percy with its horns but a quick slash of Riptide convinced the monster that was a bad idea. With a simple flick of the wrist, the horns of the goat were cut off and the Chimera let loose a bellowing cry.

"I'm not so simple as last time huh" Percy taunted. "I've seen bigger and killed stronger than you. The Nemean Lion was 10 times the challenge you are and I killed him in less than five minutes." Ok that might be some exaggeration but it clearly got the Chimera's attention as the monster fed more of its anger and charged again.

The goat head might have been damaged but it could still cause some harm if it gets too close. The real danger to Percy though was the snake head. He distinctly remembered how powerful that venom was and he wasn't eager to experience it again. He had no water this time should he actually get bit so he had to be smart.

Seeing that the monster was closing in quickly Percy took a page from his battle against the Minotaur and rolled out of the way. The Chimera, not expecting the move, continued to charge and before it knew what was happening it was already past Percy and trying to lash out with its snakehead tail.

"Olay!" Percy said while rising quickly to his feet. He continued to taunt the monster by pretending to wave an invisible matador flag in front of him which only seemed to enrage the beast further. Which was exactly what Percy wanted. Without Echidna to give comfort and advice to her son the Chimera was only getting dumber and dumber with its decision making. All Percy needed to do now was wait till it made a fatal mistake and he'd capitalize on it.

As he continued rolling and avoiding the monster he would occasionally take swipes at the beasts hide with his sword. The number of cuts was increasing dramatically and soon Percy could see green monster blood oozing out of the cuts. It's what the monsters bled out until they actually died and turned into dust. Some cuts were deep and some were shallow but each cut was taking its toll on the monster.

However, Percy couldn't keep it going forever. He was starting to get fatigued even more from his run from earlier and this fight was catching up to him. He began feeling sluggish and knew he'd have to make his move soon. Percy's rolls went from perfect barrel rolls to more side rolls and eventually he was just flinging himself out of the way.

Even with the cuts the Chimera had accumulated they both knew that the monster had the upper hand now. The Chimera let out the occasional burst of flames from its maw but as soon as Percy made to attack its neck it learned that it couldn't get away with that in such a close distance. And Percy made sure that he stayed close to prevent the monster from doing that. It had been maybe five minutes since the start of the fight but Percy knew it was now or never.

With pure determination and a little bit of guess work he took his chance after the Chimera made another swipe with his paw. Upon seeing the monster lift his leg Percy jumped forward this time, instead of jumping to the side, and he turned just enough so that he was on the left side of the monster's lion head and brought Riptide down in a fierce stroke. He put all of his energy and strength into the strike and felt Riptide sink a good few inches into the neck.

What happened next Percy didn't quite understand. Oh, he knew what happened he just wasn't sure how it happened exactly.

Percy realized that the strike to the monster's neck would be a fatal wound; it was just a matter of how quickly it would be fatal. He hoped it would be immediate but Tyche seemed to have other plans as when Percy pulled out he saw the Chimera bleeding out but still alive. Unfortunately, the swing left Percy's left side vulnerable to attack from the snake's head so it wasn't really shocking when Percy saw the snake strike out at him. And then things seemed to go into slow motion for him.

He immediately felt the familiar tug in his stomach but he also felt that same presence he remembered after his dad released his sacred gear. It seemed to register what was about to happen and without even realizing what was happening the left arm of Percy had changed into some kind of blue armor casing. It reminded him of some of the drakon claws he'd faced during the Battles of Manhattan and Camp Half-Blood. But Percy wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth right then so he quickly turned his hand and felt the snake head latch around the metal armor. The fangs of the snake tried to pierce his arm but his metal hand withstood the force of the jaw clamping down on him. Luckily, that was all the time he needed as the next moment the Chimera burst into golden dust and returned to Tartarus.

Percy collapsed onto his knees and started sucking in air. He'd been fit and strong but that was still way too close an encounter for his sake. The extra energy he expelled from his earlier run definitely drained him more than it should have. Still, it felt good knowing that he had defeated yet another legendary monster from ancient mythology.

Next to him sat the pair of goat horns he cut off from the Chimera.

 _Why do I keep getting horns for spoils?_ he asked. He now had horns from the Minotaur and the Chimera that he'd keep. He gave Medusa's head to his mother so she could turn Gabe into stone and he had to sacrifice the Nemean Lion's pelt to his father to get safe passage for Grover and the Ophiotaurus. It seemed only the legendary monster left spoils of war as most of the cyclopes and hellhounds and other monsters he killed didn't leave anything behind for him.

After a few minutes rest he grabbed the goat horns and again took off at a slow jog back to his house. He never did see the woman with long black hair and violet eyes watching him disappear down the road.

(Line Break)

It was only 15 minutes later that Percy finally made his way home. He's clothes were singed from the Chimera's flames and he had a few scratches on his arms from where the monster managed to get a few lucky paws strikes against him but for the most part he was fine. He figured he'd just sneak in and go upstairs before his mother noticed his disheveled appearance.

As soon as he opened the front door though he was immediately bombarded by the worried expression of his mother. When he looked at the clock resting on the wall behind her he saw it read 3 pm and he cursed himself silently for his bad fortune. He must have spent longer on the run and subsequent talking with the Perverted Trio and those girls than he anticipated.

"Perseus Jackson" Sally began. It never ended well for Percy when she said his whole name. "Where have you been? You said it was going to be a simple run and you'd be back in two or three hours. Not five."

Normally his mom wouldn't care too much about such a small infraction given his life but it seemed with a new baby on the way and the move Sally was being a bit overcautious. Maybe for good measure given what happened at the park.

"I just went for a run mom. I wanted to go to the park but ended up downtown first before I turned around and made my way there. It's no big deal." He said.

Then Sally took in her son's appearance and Percy saw the color drain from her face. It was slightly worrying at how quickly she went from glowing radiant to ghostly pale.

"What happened?!" she exclaimed. Immediately she stepped up and closed the front door and started looking him over. She could see the cuts and bruises from his fight and pulled him further into the house to get a closer look. He was forced to sit in a chair at the kitchen table and was quickly seen to by his mother. Sally dabbed his cuts with a wet paper towel and in no time the wounds started knitting themselves back up.

"Well I guess it seems monsters can track me even here in Japan." He said now answering her question. The cool water from the paper towel was soothing his aches and pains and he let his mother administer to everything. "It's nothing to worry about though" he said trying to placate her. "It's nothing different than how things were in New York. I just got to learn the neighborhood and streets a bit quicker is all."

Sally looked at Percy; blue eyes met sea green and Percy could see the worry in them. However, all she did was turn away, give a small sigh and continue cleaning the cuts.

"Percy," she said, "didn't you take any Nectar or Ambrosia? We have a stockpile of it under the counter here." Percy winced as his mom rubbed a particularly sensitive spot on his arm.

Percy shook his head no knowing there wasn't' anything he could do about it now.

His mom gave another sigh right then but this one much deeper. "Remember what Chiron said. Always be sure to carry some of the godly food on you. You know that already." Percy just nodded his head to confirm he would remember to grab some in the future.

After cleaning and subsequently healing most of Percy's cuts Sally nodded to the horns on her table and asked about them.

"What are those?" she asked curiously. Percy knew she had seen his Minotaur horn and would want to know what these were as well. And while Percy didn't quite want her to know just what exactly he fought he knew he owed her mother the truth.

"There just the horns from the goat head of the Chimera" he boasted. Percy couldn't keep the smirking grin from his face when he saw his mother gasp at the news. He was proud of himself and when Sally's gasp turned into a grin too he saw she was proud of him as well. It was pretty rare that a legendary monster attacked a demigod and it was something to gloat about now that he had succeeded in slaying the beast. He wouldn't advertise it but between himself and his mother he knew he could feel happy about his kill.

"Alright then mighty slayer" she said to knock his ego down jokingly. He grinned at her again before standing up. "You go run along and take a shower. You might smell like a barn animal but I certainly didn't raise you like one." She got another jab in about the goat causing Percy to chuckle softly.

He went upstairs and into his bathroom at the end of the hall before stripping his clothes and tossing them in the hamper. The shirt would have to go but the shorts only smelled of smoke so they'd be good to use after a good washing. Using his powers to turn on the water he looked at himself in the mirror while waiting for the water temperature to get comfortable.

It was then he looked down and stared at his left hand and arm. The drakon armor that covered it while the snake tried biting him had receded. He didn't even realize it till he started walking out of the park but it was as he was looking in the mirror that he tried to think of it.

 _It must be my sacred gear_ he said to himself. _I remember that my chest and left arm were feeling especially jittery after dad unlocked the gear_. _I guess it's manifested itself in the left arm. Kind of like a shield actually. Now I can use it to defend myself while still attacking with Riptide_. He felt a twinge of excitement at the aspect of having a shield again. Ever since he threw the shield Tyson made for him at Kampe he always wished his brother would make him another. The shield was useful as it allowed Percy to be more versatile with attacking and defending. But whatever his sacred gear was now allowed him to do the same thing. He could attack with his new arm and block other attacks too.

Percy tried calling forth the gear but he was having a bit of difficult. That same presence he felt earlier was still there but Percy couldn't seem to make contact with it.

 _Hello_ Percy asked mentally. _Is there something there?_

Nothing verbally responded but Percy could feel a gentle hum come from inside him. It was definitely odd and somewhat reminiscent of his former empathy link to his friend Grover but at the same time it was completely different. Whatever it was remained quiet and Percy had no choice but to give up temporarily. He'd try again though. Now that he knew there was something there for sure he would find out how to unlock it.

(Line Break)

A woman of medium height stood in a large room with Victorian style couches and chairs. The interior of the room was lined with wood panels and the floor was tiled with simple tan stone tiles. Candelabras with candles on them lined the tables throughout the room and a large mahogany desk sat along the back wall with a large throne like chair behind it. In the middle of the room was a coffee table that rested an old-fashioned chess board with pieces lining it. The black pieces were closing in on the white king but the white pieces had strategically positioned themselves so they would win the game before being overwhelmed by the black.

In one of the couches that sat on either side of the coffee table was another woman. This woman was often described as extremely desirable with her deep blue eyes and large bust. Most people tended to focus on her more prominent assets but her crimson hair was the most captivating feature to her.

"Ms. President" the first woman spoke, "I think I found someone we might want to keep an eye on."

The President was clearly focused on the game at hand but she knew she had her opponent beat in three turns. With little difficulty she turned to her companion and addressed her.

"Akeno" the President began, "who have you come across to attract your interest?"

The woman named Akeno moved one of her bishops diagonally across the board and opening up her king to an attack from one of the President's knights. "I don't know his name but I saw him in the park earlier today. And the thing that got me was he managed to not only attract but also slay an ancient monster from the Greek pantheon."

The President raised her head and eyebrow at that but quickly moved her knight into position.

"Check" she said. "He killed a Greek monster huh? Did you recognize it?"

"It was the Chimera President" Akeno said. "He fought it with some kind of sword and then managed to summon some kind of blue sacred gear to defend against the snake tail attacks. I thought I might have miscalculated and he would die but when the monster burst into dust I knew he'd be alright. I didn't know monsters burst into dust though. They don't dissolve into particles and feathers like angels and devils due?"

"I've only heard rumors of what happens to them." The President said. "I've never come across and fought a monster from another pantheon so I can't say for sure what happens. Perhaps my father or brother might be able to confirm for us."

The woman named Akeno nodded her head and made her second to final move of the game. She moved her queen just in front of her king though to the right side of it and opposite the President's king. This freed Akeno's king from check while also putting the President into check. What she didn't notice though was that she positioned her queen exactly in line of one of the President's bishops and left her vulnerable to both the President's rook lined up to along the right side just behind the enemy king, the knight which was vertically behind the king, and a simple pawn that was lined up to put the king in checkmate next turn.

"He was very strong President. I swear he was just as good with a blade as Kiba and his strikes against the monster were just under Koneko's strength. We should keep an eye on him."

Akeno made the only move available to her which was to position her second knight in the pathway of the President's newly moved bishop. At this point Akeno recognized she would probably lose but most games between her and her President ended that way so it didn't completely surprise her.

The President capitalized quickly and made the final move of the game. She moved her pawn one space up in the pathway of the Akeno's king.

"Checkmate" she said with little inflection to her voice. Akeno let out a little whimper at losing again but she quickly changed to question her President.

"What do you want to do President?" she asked her.

"You said you don't know his name?" the President asked in return.

Akeno shook her head in the negative and the President continued on.

"If that's the case then we'll just keep an eye out for him. Maybe he'll show up at some point and I can judge for myself. I won't commit to anything without at least first knowing someone. It's my responsibility to protect this area for my brother and if someone is messing around then I will deal with it."

It was pretty obvious the conversation was over and Akeno started picking up the board game. She gingerly held the black queen in her hand thinking over everything that had happened to her. She was about to lose herself to memories when her President came around and grasped her hands softly with a gentle touch. Akeno smiled at her President and the President smiled back.

"Come on" the President said, "we have some contracts to do tonight and my brother said that Riser was planning on coming for a visit soon. I'd rather not be here when that happens." She scowled at the name but was otherwise indifferent. Akeno knew the truth though about her President and she had to admit that being anywhere where Riser wasn't was a good plan to her.

"Sounds good. Let's get out of here."

And with that, a glowing red circle appeared on the floor and the two vanished into thin air.


	10. Chapter 8: Let's Save a Pervert

**Hey everyone! I just want to take a second to thank you all for all the favorites and follows and most importantly the reviews & PMs. They really do help let me know what you all are thinking and where I can improve upon. So Thanks!**

 **With that said, things are going to pick up in this chapter now that canon DxD is happening. Again I want to remind everyone this is AU. Not only that but Percy is the MC here. It'll definitely deviate from canon a bit in terms of character interactions and eventually some plot points will happen differently. I hope to hear from you all in the reviews your thoughts and opinions. Please enjoy the next chapter of Angels, Devils and Demigods!**

Chapter 8: Let's Save a Pervert

Percy's first few days of school were the pretty typical first few days of school everyone experienced. One thing that was different though was the alarm clock he woke up too. See Percy hadn't actually set an alarm for the days before school started, instead choosing to get up when his body agreed with it. However, when the first day rolled around, he jumped up to sound of a schoolgirl voice and video picture obnoxiously asking him to "Wake up Please. Would you please wake up now? Or you could just stay in bed but I'm not going down on you." Then it ran into an annoying streak of saying "Wake up mister. Wake up mister. Wake up mister." Percy growled at the alarm realizing that Apollo had clearly chosen this to annoy him. He thought he saw the sunlight from the window each morning stream in a bit brighter. He quickly and quietly turned off the alarm vowing that he'd find a way to change the setting before his mom accidently heard it. He didn't want to image how she would react. Sadly, even after a week of waking up to the different alarms he still hadn't managed to find a way to change it.

He drove in with Paul each day as his mom still wouldn't budge about him riding the motorcycle but that didn't matter too much seeing as he did mostly the same thing when he went to Goode. When he finally got to class he found out what 2nd year meant to Japanese students. Apparently, it was basically a repeat of Junior year back in the U.S. Percy ended up physically groaning when he found out he'd essentially be repeating 11th grade for a third gods damn time. He only hoped that he'd actually know the material by this point. His fellow students laughed at his outward display of pain though the teacher gave a pitying smile as she must have heard about his repeating of classes from his step-dad. Paul had let some of the other staff know Percy's predicament for which Percy was actually pretty grateful about.

He was assigned to class 2A, which apparently was the same classes that other students with reading disabilities were assigned to. Percy never liked to think of his dyslexia as a disability though he couldn't pretend that it wasn't. At least in this class he was surrounded by fellow students who had similar problems as he did. Paul was right in that regard at least. The best part was that the class had a ton of other foreign exchange students so all kinds of languages were present. English turned out to be pretty predominantly spoken seeing as it was known across many countries and most people learned at least a little of it. And of course, Japanese was spoken considering they were in Japan. However, Percy also heard the sounds of the Spanish language though they sounded different from the Mexican-Harlem Spanish he grew up hearing in New York. He also heard some French and something that sounded like it was another Asian country. Maybe Chinese? He remembered Annabeth once telling him that Mandarin was one of the most prominently spoken languages in the world.

Percy was assigned to do different reading in his language classes then he was in America. While he was required to read _Beowulf_ and _Gulliver's Travels_ in his English classes with Paul, here they would be required to read stories he hadn't heard of such as _The Tale of Genji_ , _Kokoro,_ and _Takekurabe_. Percy didn't like reading in English so he seriously doubted it would be better in Japanese. Though he did have to admit _The Tale of Genji_ sounded like an interesting read as it dealt with intrigue, forbidden romance, Imperial politics and backstabbing. In short it reminded him a bit of the Olympians.

The other classes he was assigned were the pretty typical classes he had back in the U.S. He still had Algebra and History. He was also once again placed in a Chemistry class and fortunately he was able to actually participate this time. Whatever school records were transferred over didn't make any mention of his accident in the chemistry class last year so he was cleared to once more work the labs. And seeing as how they did similar labs as back at Goode Percy felt pretty confident he'd actually know what to do this time around. As was often said: Third time's the charm. Percy just hoped there wouldn't be a fourth.

Lunch was a pretty quiet affair the first couple of days as he mostly sat alone in the corner. He still hadn't met anyone he knew and any time he went up to introduce himself they mostly shied away from him. He didn't know why but Percy didn't let it bother him too much so he went and sat alone.

Everything changed though on the last day of the first full week of school. His teachers had actually tried to help him with the reading assignments and he was already starting to see some results in his work. Plus, the fact they seemed to be a bit more lenient with his grading helped too. Being in class 2A clearly had its benefits. When he went to lunch that Friday he sat down alone at his usual table in the back when he saw the familiar face of one the yoga girls from his excursion at the park. He didn't know how he missed her the first few days but he immediately sat up and started making his way over to her.

As he got closer he recognized the brown wavy style hair of Murayama. She was in deep conversation with another brown-haired girl though this one had glasses and braided hair the flowed over both her shoulders in the style of pigtails. The second girl noticed Percy first and he thought he saw her glance down at his pants before giving a lecherous grin and waving at him. That caught him off guard at first but when he turned and saw Murayama smiling and waving at him too he strode over more confidently.

Around the table Percy saw a few other girls he recognized from the yoga stretching and he waved at everyone in return. When he finally got close enough to everyone he started speaking.

"Hey Murayama. I didn't realize you had this lunch period. Do you mind if I sit and join you and your friends?" he asked with a boyish disarming smile.

Murayama clearly wasn't expecting that but she smiled and nodded her head in acquiescence. Percy gave her a grateful smile then and took a seat directly across from her and next to one of the girls from the other day. He couldn't remember any of their names but then again, he wasn't sure if they even offered their names to him.

Percy shifted his face slightly after he sat down and introduced himself to the other girl.

"Hi" he said. "I'm Percy Jackson. Nice to meet you."

"Hi Percy" the brunette said. "My name's Kiryuu. I haven't seen you here before. Is your package actually seven inches long and five inches in circumference?"

"Yes, I'm new here. I just moved here from New York with my mom and ste-"

It was then that Percy realized what the girl named Kiryuu had actually said and he felt his face flush from embarrassment. He'd gotten used to people asking him if he was new so he'd just started getting into a routine of explaining the situation to them. It seemed Kiryuu had other ideas.

The girls at the table started giggling at his embarrassment and Murayama gave her friend a slap on the arm though Percy could see she too was stifling a laugh. He tried to brush it off and laugh with them but he only partially succeeded as his face was still hot from the question.

"Umm… that's a bit personal there Kiryuu. Don't you think?" he rhetorically asked. He tried to turn his attention to Murayama but Kiryuu took the question at its face.

"Of course it is," She said back. "But I can tell. It's a gift I have. I can judge the size of a man's penis to perfection. And you Percy Jackson are certainly many, many women's definition of perfection." She growled that last bit out and licked her lips sensuously.

It honestly made Percy feel really uncomfortable and he started to get up to go back to his other table when Murayama intervened.

"Stop teasing him Kiryuu" Murayama said. "Percy please sit down. I promise Kiryuu won't bring it up again."

Percy hesitated a moment but he decided that he was tired of eating lunch alone so he sat back down and started nibbling on the sandwich his mom packed for him. It was a plain chicken sandwich, like he always preferred, and he knew his mom had packed the same for Paul as well. The rest of the table had gone back to their own side conversations and so Percy turned to look at Murayama and Kiryuu who watched him expectantly. It was a bit unnerving but he decided to just roll with it and started the conversation again.

"What class are you guys in? I haven't seen you around campus yet."

"We're in class 2B" Kiryuu said. "What about you? Are you in 2C?"

Percy shook his head seeing as he had a bite of chicken in his mouth but responded once it was free.

"Nah. They assigned me to 2A."

Both Kiryuu and Murayama looked at him skeptically for a moment. He wasn't sure why but he found out quickly when Kiryuu spoke again.

"2A? Isn't that where they assign the students with learning disabilities go?"

Percy flushed again. In less than five minutes this girl had managed to embarrass and insult him twice. She was quickly growing on his people to not associate with list.

"Uhh… Yeah. I have dyslexia and ADHD. Makes school pretty hard. If I'm not having a tough time reading, I'm usually focused on something not school related. It certainly made my high school experience interesting so far." He tried laughing it off as no big deal but Kiryuu didn't actually say anything. Murayama at least recognized his attempt for what it was and gave a polite laugh to ease the awkwardness.

He quickly ate at that point so he could get out of there. Murayama seemed like a pretty cool person but Kiryuu was someone he didn't want to be around.

"So where were you all week? I didn't see you in the lunch room until today." Percy asked Murayama.

Murayama actually smiled at that. A genuine one.

"I'm a member of the Kendo club with most of the other girls at the table. You remember Katase?"

Percy nodded to indicate he did.

"Well me and Katase run the club. We train during our gym periods and after school. Occasionally we have to practice during the lunch periods when we can't get together after school for some reason. That's what happened this week. It's pretty rare that happens though."

"That's pretty cool. Kendo huh? Isn't that like sword fighting?"

"Mostly. Kendo is a form of martial arts. We use the Shinai, those bamboo swords you saw the other day, and we practice our katas. We don't always use the shinai but Kendo is mostly performed with them."

"Do you think I could join? I'm pretty good with a sword. I've been practicing for years. I honestly didn't expect I'd find a place here that I could train in."

Murayama's eyes sparkled at hearing someone showing an interest in her club but the frown indicated she had unfortunate news.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Percy but our Kendo club is all females. We don't have one for men yet. Guys just started coming to our school a couple of years ago so most of the clubs are mainly made up of women. We would have loved for you to join though."

The girls around the table all started nodding their heads and confirming their leaders sentiment.

"Oh" Percy said slightly disheartened. He knew he could always train at home in the basement but it wasn't the same as training with someone else. When you had an opponent, it allowed you to develop lessor skills that were vital in combat. Little details like watching your opponent's body language and reactionary movements could only be honed by practicing against someone. Hearing the Kendo club was exclusively for women was slightly upsetting.

By this point Percy had finally finished eating. He didn't really want to stick around anymore. Murayama had made it pretty clear that he couldn't join the Kendo club and Kiryuu had gone back to giving him creepy looks and grins. Frankly, this lunch wasn't much better than if he had spent it alone. So, saying a quick goodbye, Percy excused himself and started walking down the halls to his next class.

The school was mostly quiet at this point as most students were either still at lunch or in class. Every step Percy took echoed in the hallway and he decided he'd just make his way upstairs to his history class on the second floor. It honestly beat just sitting around doing nothing.

As Percy was walking in the halls he let his mind wander. He hadn't had any dreams recently, thank the gods, but he still couldn't figure out that other feeling in his soul. Percy tried to communicate with it a couple of times but all he ever got in response was a low humming sound. It was almost like there was another person there based on his experience at the park but that just freaked him out and reminded him of Luke and Kronos. Definitely not something he wanted to happen.

He turned his left arm up at a 90 degree in front of him as he walked and just observed it. His arm was still his arm, nothing changed there. He could still make out the cuts and scars he'd received from his training and the wars. He had a particularly nasty one that ran vertically up his forearm that he got from one of the Arai in Tartarus. Percy shivered just thinking about that place again.

Percy was too focused on looking at his arm that he didn't notice when he turned up the flight of stairs he was on when he collided with another person. He was off balance and had his leg raised when he ran into the person so he ended up falling backwards and hitting the landing between the two sets of stairs. The person he ran into clearly fell backwards too as he had a grunt and what sounded like the whisper of air leaving lungs. Then he heard speaking.

"Ms. President!" a voice exclaimed. He hadn't heard this person before but her voice sounded a bit childish though definitely feminine.

"I'm alright Akeno" the second voice said. It too was female, which caught him slightly off guard, but this voice was a little deeper, more mature when Percy thought about it. There was a hint of mystery in the voice that Percy found alluring.

"Uggh" Percy said while trying to sit up. He had fallen a bit harder than this "President" person and he could feel it in his back. "I'm sorry" Percy said trying to regain some breath. "I didn't see anyone when I was walking up the stairs." Then Percy managed to sit up and get a look at the two women.

The first was already standing and trying to help the second stand as well. She had long, sleek black hair that was tied in a ponytail and was thick on top and gradually became slimmer the further down it went. And it went pretty far considering her hair rested just above her knees. The girl was wearing the standard school uniform which meant she had a short, magenta colored skirt that went to her thighs, a tight white long-sleeved button down that had vertical lines, and the black corset that tied across their stomachs. She also wore the standard black cape that covered her shoulders. Percy never did understand the reasoning for the corset and cape but seeing as how it showed off the girls large bust he was feeling particularly grateful for them right then.

The girl's violet eyes were prominent and Percy could see the concern she had for her friend. It made him feel slightly guilty for the mishap. But all that went away when he got a look at the second girl for himself.

She was almost the polar opposite in appearance from the first girl. Whereas girl number one had black hair, girl number two had the deepest shade of red hair Percy had ever seen. It was almost blood red and while that might have been off-putting to most people Percy found that surprisingly appealing. Her hair was unrestricted and it flowed and waved all around her body though it too went down to just about thigh level. The short skirt of the uniform showed off her long legs and Percy could see that this girl was taller than her friend if only by a few inches. She too wore the cape and corset required by the girls here.

While her hair was definitely the most striking feature to this girl, it wasn't the only one. What Percy found equaling appealing was her blue eyes. They were unlike any he had ever seen before. Apollo and his children tended to have a sky-blue color that was pretty common. The only other person that Percy could compare it too was his cousin Thalia. Her eyes were an electric blue that was both scary and intriguing in their own right. But this girl's blue eyes were something else entirely. He could see a tenderness in them for her friend's concern but also a surprising strength that showed she would give no mercy to one she deemed a threat. It reminded him a bit of Annabeth's eyes in expressiveness honestly.

"Do I know you?" Percy asked them both. Neither had acknowledged his presence before but upon hearing his voice they both immediately turned to face him. They were now both standing on the stairs above him looking down at him as if he was nothing to them. Percy scoffed at the idea in his head but otherwise took a few steps up himself to even the playing field. There was something about these two that Percy couldn't put his finger on but they both seemed very familiar to him somehow.

"I don't believe so" the one named "President" said. "I'm assuming you're the new American exchange student we have?"

Percy nodded his head and responded back.

"Yes. I just moved here with my parents. My step-dad took a position here as the new English foreign language teacher."

"Ah yes, Mr. Blofis. I'd heard we got a new teacher though I haven't met him."

Akeno jumped into the conversation then. "And who are you?"

Percy was hesitant to tell them at first. His instincts were screaming that there was something different about these two but he still couldn't place it. It was a different feeling than before. Now it was like his gut was screaming that these two were monsters. It was almost as if he was in the presence of his brother Tyson. Still he decided it would be rude if he didn't respond so he talked.

"My name's Percy Jackson. And you two are…?"

"I'm Akeno Himejima and this is Rias Gremory, vice-president and president of the Occult Research Club."

Percy was slightly shocked at hearing that. He'd heard about these two through the grapevine in school so far. Kuoh Academy's Two Great Ladies. This was the first time he'd seen them and he had to agree they were both as beautiful as they were advertised to be.

"Well it's nice to meet you" he said while offering his hand for a handshake. He'd noticed that most people here usually bowed in greeting but they would still oblige him with a handshake. "I'm sorry again for knocking you down." He rubbed the back of his neck in slight embarrassment though they seemed pretty forgiving of the incident.

"That is alright" Rias said. "Accidents happen. I am unhurt, though you will want to watch where you're walking in the future."

Percy bristled a bit at that. He hated being told what to told. The gods were obviously the gods so he didn't have much leeway there and his mom was his mom but random people telling him what he should do? Yeah definitely not going to happen anytime soon. But he did still recognize that he was in the wrong so he chose to ignore it instead.

Nobody said anything after that. The three were looking at each other for a few seconds more before the bell went off signaling it was time to go to the next class.

"Well that's my que to go. Sorry again for bumping into you. I'll see you two around." Percy said while walking around them and up the stairs. The two turned to watch him go and he distinctly heard Akeno whisper to Rias "that's him. The one I saw at the –" She was cut off from finishing her thought but Percy was on guard of them now. If his instincts hadn't already told him those two were different, that conversation just raised about every red flag remaining.

(Line Break)

The remainder of school went by pretty quickly for Percy. One thing about ADHD was that when he was focused on something it made the time go by extremely quickly. Unfortunately, his interest wasn't in history or gym or his chemistry class so he suffered a bit there. His focus however was on the "Two Great Ladies" of Kuoh Academy though. As he thought before something about those two didn't sit right with him. Not only did they look distinctly familiar but whatever the one named Akeno was saying made Percy think there was a lot more to them than met the eye. He tried filling in the blank with her sentence but he was worried that what he guessed was the truth.

 _That's him. The one I saw at the – grocery store?_ He tried. _No that doesn't seem right._ He'd only gone to the grocery store two times with his mom and he didn't remember seeing her.

 _That's him. The one I saw at the – store downtown?_ He tried again. _I was only downtown for a little while though. I suppose she could have seen me among the people but I don't think I did anything noteworthy._

And then he tried the one he was really worried about because it made the most sense.

 _That's him. The one I saw at the – park._ Sadly, this seemed to fit the best. _Where in the park did she see me though?_ He wondered. _I don't remember her as one of the Kendo/yoga club girls and she definitely wasn't around the Perverted Trio. I suppose she could have seen me enter or exit the park._ But deep-down Percy feared when she might have actually seen him. Subconsciously he knew the Mist would protect his fight against the Chimera but if she wasn't human she would be able to see through the Mist fairly easily, if it even affected her at all. He now had a few more people he had to watch out and be wary of.

As Percy was walking outside he noticed most of the students were making their way home or on the fields practicing with their clubs. He saw Murayama and Katase gather the girls of the Kendo club around and talk briefly before they started making their way to the changing rooms. Percy was walking by along the sidewalk near the faculty parking lot when he overheard his all-time favorite group of perverted mortals complaining about another guy walking just in front of Percy with a gaggle of girls talking to him. He picked up pieces of both conversations.

"- Our very own Harams!" he remembered the one named Issei shouting.

"Hell yeah! We're were gonna have casual unprotected sex with hot chicks and then never call them again!" Matsuda chimed in.

Percy rolled his eyes at the three idiots and turned his focus to the other conversation.

"Kiba wait up!" one of the girls began, "What are you doing right now?"

"Yeah!" a second girl said. "You maybe want to go and sing karaoke with us?"

 _What is it with these girls and karaoke?_ Percy thought.

"Thanks, but I got a meeting with my club" the guy, obviously Kiba, said rejecting them. The girls all said "Aww" in disappointment.

"That sucks" the third girl then said. Kiba just smiled at them in return.

"I really do wish I could go though. It's very cool of you ladies to invite me." Kiba said turning away from them and giving a gentle wave of acknowledgement. This seemed to please them as they clapped their hands together and giggled like schoolgirls often do when around a crush.

Percy turned to look down at the three perverts down the hill who were glaring at Kiba as he walked by. He could practically feel the hostility roll off of them and he chuckled at the situation. He heard the last of the trio, Motohama, then start speaking.

"Kiba Yuuto, class 2C. Practically every girl in this school want to sex him up."

"And every guy wants to mess him up!" Matsuda jumped in.

"That tool!" Issei shouted, not being discrete at all. "I don't get it! Just cause he's hot, sexy, really smart, and the coolest guy in school they all want to rub up on Kiba!"

"He sucks so much less than we do" Motohama said despondently.

"Sigh, life really does blow sometimes" Issei finished.

It was then that Percy saw Matsuda look at his watch and grab his school briefcase off the floor. He couldn't here exactly what was said at that point as they started talking quieter but when he saw the creepy grin form on his face when questioned by his two friends he immediately knew they were up to no good. Worried about what exactly those three were getting into he made a split-second decision he'd follow them.

Percy could see Paul in the parking lot waving at Percy to come along but Percy wanted to follow those three and stop what they were doing if it was wrong. He just raised his hand at Paul and indicated he was going to hang around school for a bit and he should go. Paul seemed to pick up what he was indicating and nodded his head before getting in his vehicle and driving off. The three had already started making their way into the woods so Percy quickly grabbed his backpack and hurried off after them.

It wasn't long before he found them. And he certainly wasn't surprised by what they were doing, though he was still disgusted by it. Standing in the woods he found the three hovering in front of a hole in a wall with Matsuda and Motohama bent at their waist looking through it and Issei behind trying to pull them from the wall to look himself. He didn't know what the building was but if those three were trying to peep through it he suspected he'd find some women on the other side.

He learned from their last encounter that direct confrontation from Percy wasn't going to accomplish much. He still didn't want to cause too many waves here yet so beating them up still was a last case resort but he remembered that the girls from before handled themselves pretty well. Percy just hoped these girls had the same vigor.

So, Percy made his way around the building till he came to the front door when he saw it was the changing room. And that's when he felt the grin show on his face. These girls could definitely handle those three. He raised his hand and knocked twice on the door before a girl in the school gym outfit opened the door.

She was definitely younger than Percy and was quite a bit shorter than his 6 feet 1-inch height but she looked pretty fierce. She had glowing golden eyes and fascinating white hair that went to her shoulders. She had some kind of clips in her hair on either side of her head that looked like it was holding something down but Percy couldn't make out what. The girl looked up at Percy with deadpan eyes and asked what he wanted.

"What?" she asked simply.

"Umm…" he began though the girls attitude caught him off guard. "There are three guys trying to peep on you right now from the back wall. I just thought you guys should know."

"Three?" the girl asked again. "Not four? You sure you're not a pervert too, trying to get inside the girl's locker room?"

Percy's jaw dropped open in astonishment. He knocked. He didn't even come close to trying to come into the room.

"Wha? N – No – No" he stammered out. "I would never do that."

"That's what they all say" she said rolling her eyes.

"I just wanted to warn you is all" Percy said regaining his bearing. If this girl didn't want to believe him then so be it. He turned away from her then and started walking back to the fields. The girl raised her eyebrows at him but didn't say anything further.

It was only a couple minutes later that Percy saw the Perverted Trio running away from the girls of the Kendo club. They had red marks and cuts on their arms from being smacked by the shinai and Percy could imagine it was all over their bodies as well. He along with the others of the school laughed at the display. He really hoped those three had learned their lesson this time but he suspected he'd be helping the Kendo club beat these three up for quite some time yet.

With the hint of laughter still coming out of his mouth, he turned away from the scene and started making his way home. He still felt the presence of being watched but for now he ignored it in favor of returning to his house.

(Line Break)

The next week was pretty quiet for Percy as well. He still didn't have any friends he could visit so he spent most of his time training in his basement. He decided to put off going for a run for the time being in favor of not attracting any monster attention. Whether it was a Greek monster or someone from the factions, he thought it best to lay low until he'd heard from the gods. Unfortunately, things don't always go as planned.

That entire week at school he heard Issei brag to his two friends about how he now had a girlfriend named Yuuma Amano. It seemed everywhere he went he crossed paths with either Issei or Rias or Akeno. It was a bit disconcerting at how frequent he encountered one of them but he just narrowed his eyes in observation and continued on his way. The girls hadn't said anything to him but he felt their eyes on him watching. As if they were waiting for something.

Issei on the other hand immediately jumped Percy's way and started gloating about how his girlfriend was amazing and they spent a lot of time after school together. He even told Percy about the date they had planned for Sunday. As if Percy actually gave a Hades about it.

"And tell me, _Oh Great Harem King_ " Percy said sarcasticly, "have you told your amazing girlfriend about how she's only going to be one of the girls you're with."

Issei squirmed a bit at that but Percy smiled at how uncomfortable he was.

"Not yet" Issei mumbled. Percy's smile turned victorious. "But I will!" Issei practically shouted then. It gathered the attention of a few of the nearby students including a certain redhead who was watching with calculating eyes. "I'll tell her soon and then she'll be glad. She'll be my number one girl! Then she'll have to be ok with it."

"Yes, because every girl loves to hear about how she has to share her boyfriend with other women. I can see how you managed to get her in the first place." He added mockingly.

"Hey, nobody even asked your opinion in the first place." Issei said. There was something about Issei that just naturally angered Percy. The way he treated women was despicable and of course his superior-than-thou demeanor was vexing but deep-down there was something more that pissed him off. He could practically hear a growling in his head whenever he was around the pervert.

"Dude, you came up to me. I didn't even start this. If you don't want to hear my opinion then don't come bragging to me about your relationships."

Issei got red at that but immediately grabbed his two friends and turned away.

"Come on guys" he said, "Let's get out of here. You said you were about to get a new movie Matsuda?"

"Oh yeah!" Matsuda said as they trailed away. Percy watched them go but he still felt that lingering watching on him. Turning his head, he noticed that Rias Gremory was still observing him. He noticed most people in the school only looked at the Great Lady when she was turned or walking away but Percy wouldn't do that. He stared right back at her and squinted his eyes slightly to indicate he didn't like being watched. Whether Rias picked up on it or not, he wasn't able to be sure but the next moment later he saw her turn and head up the stairs to wherever she went.

Turning away himself, Percy made his way out of the school and into the parking lot where he waited for Paul to take them home.

It was at home that things became uncomfortable again. Usually he was happy and content at home. It was a safe space for him from monsters and evil. But his mom wasn't making things better right now. With just about two weeks left in her pregnancy she was becoming a bit unbearable to be with. She really wanted his sister out of her now.

"And why haven't you gone out more Percy" his mother questioned him at dinner that Saturday night. She was mainly confined to bedrest now due to her heavy state so Paul made this one. Hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill. A good choice as far as Percy was concerned. A lecture wasn't something he wanted with the meal though.

"I've tried making friends mom, we just haven't had a chance to do anything." He said back half-heartedly. Ever since he turned down karaoke he hadn't been invited out by the Kendo girls again. They were all too busy with Kendo; naturally.

"I thought you were doing well with the people in school though?" Sally asked, pushing the conversation further. She turned to Paul. "I thought you said that he was socializing with people. I partly agreed to this move because I thought it'd be better for Percy at school!"

Paul turned a curious eye on Percy and that drew his mom's attention back on him.

"I thought so too" Paul said. "Every time I see you around school you usually have a group of guys around. Those three boys from 2B. Matsuda, Motohama, and Issei are their names, right? Why don't you hang out with them?"

Percy looked at Paul incredulously before laughing at him. Sally looked disappointed in her son's reaction but Paul just looked confused. The laughing went on few another few seconds before Sally had had enough and stopped him.

"What's so funny young man?" she asked going into full mom mode. "Paul asked you a question. Are these three your friends or not?"

Percy shook his head but the smile was still on his face.

"Yeah, I'm definitely _not_ friends with those three. I don't think anyone is actually friends with them really."

"Well why don't you make an effort to try to be one to them" Paul asked. Percy could tell that he too was concerned with Percy's social skills. The simple truth was, Percy found it difficult to be friends with people not of the Greek world. Normal mortals didn't understand what he went through on a daily basis and he couldn't exactly make them see. His first true friend had been Grover and he turned out to be a Satyr. Other than that, the only real friends he had were in the camps.

"Mainly because those three are known as the Perverted Trio" Percy said in response to Paul.

"Perverted Trio?" his mom asked losing some of her vigor from before and becoming curious. Paul seemed to pick up on what he was saying though and looked a bit embarrassed.

"Yes. They go around all day trying to peep on girls and talking about their porn collection. The past week one of them, Issei, has been bragging to me about this girl he started dating."

Sally's mouth dropped and she started gaping like a fish.

"But… that's horrible! Why hasn't anyone stopped them!" she asked turning her attention to her husband.

"They've tried" said Paul. "Unfortunately, the school doesn't have a policy concerning talking about porn and none of the teachers have been able to actually catch them peeping. There isn't anything we can do until we do catch them or somebody finally turns them in with proof."

Sally looked angry at that but she turned back to Percy and changed her face into something that was comforting.

"I'm glad you don't associate with them Percy" she said soothingly. "But you still need to make some friends. Won't you please try? For me?"

Percy frowned but knew he'd lose. He couldn't deny him mom when she asked for her sake.

"Ok" he said. "Maybe I'll take another run tomorrow and see if I can't find some people to hang out with."

Sally smiled at that.

(Line Break)

Waking up the next morning Percy could already tell something bad was going to happen. It was just a sixth sense he developed after years of being a demigod.

He began the day much like he did on any other Sunday; training in the basement. Going down the stairs he immediately pulled out Riptide and started hacking and slashing against the wooden people shaped stakes planted in the ground. There was plenty of room around the stakes so Percy easily flowed from one target to another.

Percy swung vertically along the side of the stake on the far right and felt Riptide dig into the underarm of the wood. It was a basic move he learned years ago and though he didn't put all his strength into it he still cut a small portion into the wood. That moved had saved him quiet a few times when fighting the monsters on Half-Blood Hill against Gaia.

He next rolled to his left and came up swinging horizontally across the chest piece of a second stake. It was a shallow cut to allow Percy the freedom and ability to pull back and swing again rather than get stuck inside the wood.

Over the next hour he trained and honed his body in all the typical exercises he performed at Camp. While he didn't have an actual opponent to face, it was still exhausting work and Percy was sweating when he came back upstairs for some lunch. His mom was still resting on the couch and she was watching a soap opera one of the English channels was airing.

"Oh Tommy" the female character said addressing her male counterpart. "Please don't leave me. I promise I will love you far better than that hussy ever will."

"Tina" a deep male voice said back, "I care for you. You know that. I'll always be there for you if you need help. But I love Susan. She was always there for me and I can't deny these feelings any longer."

Percy rolled his eyes at the ridiculousness of the plot line but he heard his mother vocalize her opinion.

"No Tommy, don't do it. Susan's a cheater. She'll break your heart. Don't leave Tina."

"Mom?" Percy said drawing his mother's attention.

She jumped visibly before relaxing into the couch again.

"Oh, Percy" she said. "You startled me. Don't sneak up on me like that" she gently chastised.

"How can you even watch things like that?" Percy asked. "Nothing like that even comes close to happening in real life."

His mother gave him a knowing smile. "You sure about that? Two girls have never fought over a guy before? You've never heard about a girl starting rumors and being vindictive towards another she viewed as competition."

"Well, I mean, of course things like that have happened before. But nothing so over the top dramatic as that. No guy is so oblivious as that dude is."

Sally raised her eyebrow at her son but didn't comment further. She let out a light chuckle but turned back to her show and Percy made his way into the kitchen. Paul, it seemed, had the same idea as Percy and was already making a sandwich.

"Gods I just don't understand how she watches things like that" Percy said complaining to Paul. He knew his step-father would agree with him.

"Why do you think I'm here in the kitchen" Paul said back.

"Things like that don't happen that dramatically in real life. I get that it's for entertainment but I mean come on, at least try to make it realistic."

Paul laughed and gave him a pat on the back. Some things guys just instinctively understood.

"So, what are your plans for the rest of the day" Paul asked him. "Don't forget to go out and try and meet some people today. You promised your mom and I don't think either of us wants to hear her complaining later."

Percy nodded. "I have some homework I need to finish up but other than that I figured I'd go for another run in a little while. Stretch the legs, you know? Maybe take another stroll in that park. There was plenty of people there last time so maybe I can meet someone else this time."

"Good. Good" Paul said while focusing on making his sandwich. "Need any help with the homework?"

"Nah I should be good. It's just some chemistry stuff that I already learned about the last two times I took the class." He said that last part with some annoyance directed towards Paul. He still wasn't pleased about repeating a grade. Again.

Paul either ignored it or just didn't pick up on it though Percy suspected it was the latter. Paul seemed to have an uncanny ability to not noticed Percy's sarcasm. Considering he developed a bit of it from his mother he was surprised Paul hadn't noticed yet.

"Sounds like a plan then. I'll be in the den in the corner. Just give a knock on the door if you need any help."

One thing Percy was glad with Paul was his willingness to give him a hand. Even if Percy needed to do stuff on his own he always appreciated the gesture. He was a pretty great guy in that regard.

The next few hours were spent in solitude in his room where he struggled to get through his chemistry assignment. He had to double check things twice to make sure he didn't accidentally switch the letters of the elements again otherwise he feared his teacher might not actually let him perform the lab. Mr. Takahashi was a fairly laid-back teacher, at least in respect to his other teachers, but he was still disciplined when it came to making sure there were no accidents. If the students didn't get the elements right in the prelab work up then they weren't allowed to perform the lab.

It was as the sun began setting that Percy finally finished. His alarm clock indicated it was 5 pm and he was starting to get hungry. Plus, he still had to go for his run and hopefully meet somebody so his mom would stop bugging him about it.

As he approached the kitchen downstairs he heard the tell-tale signs of food being served by the clatter of plates and forks being brought to the kitchen table. They'd only used the dining room table once before and decided it was to be used mainly when they had company over. So, Percy made his way over when he saw a rice dish he hadn't had before. His mom tried to still buy some food he would recognize, and give herself some home cooked comfort he thought, but a lot of their meals recently involved rice and noodles. Beef and chicken weren't as common here as they were in the U.S.

 _At least it smells good_ he thought. The bowl on the placemat where he typically sat was filled with brown rice and chopped up vegetables. He recognized onions and peppers and peas though it also had a few he didn't know. He decided against asking in fear of what it might be. Better to just eat it and decide if he like it after. Eating whatever he could get his hands on during his quests taught him that lesson.

The meal passed pretty quickly with little conversation. Paul had brought some student's schoolwork with him to the table and Sally was writing furiously in the notebook she carried around on her to record her story ideas. Percy just shoveled food in his mouth in an effort to escape before his mom commented on him not leaving the house yet.

Whatever his mom was writing in that notebook kept her completely occupied, fortunately for Percy. His mom never once said anything about him going out but he knew that just because she didn't say anything didn't mean she didn't know. If he didn't follow up on his promise his mom would just comment on it tomorrow and be disappointed in him. And Percy absolutely hated it when his mom was disappointed in him.

The second he finished his food he placed his bowl in the sink and started making his way to the front door. He hadn't changed since his earlier workout so he was still dressed in athletic clothes. Riptide still nestled in his pocket just in case he ran into another monster.

Running in the day time was a bit different than running in the night time. During the day he had more visibility and the sun prevented areas from getting too dark for him to see into. At night however, everything was different. The sun was obviously going down and that created pockets of shadows where monsters and other unsavory characters could hide. Percy still remembered the dark alleys of New York where the gang members would hide and jump unsuspecting people for money and other… things. Kuoh Town didn't have anything quite like that but that didn't mean something couldn't be lurking in the darkness waiting to attack.

Percy's run started much the same as his previous one went. He figured if he took about an hour, maybe talk to somebody if he saw them, then his mom would be pleased he made an effort and let her nagging go temporarily. He chose to run straight to the park this time rather than head downtown and the street lights that were starting to come on lit his way.

It was quiet as Percy was jogging up to the entrance of the park. Nobody seemed to be out and the trees didn't feel as welcoming as they had when he first journeyed here. Their overlaying canopies created a tunnel that guided Percy's feet up the main path. It was as he was approaching the giant fountain when he spied Issei and his girlfriend walking up another path. He slowed to a walk to keep quiet and not disturb the couple. Plus, Percy figured, he'd at least get some more source material to tease the pervert about later.

Issei reached out and grabbed his girlfriend's hands and Percy could see the giant smile that appeared on his face. The girl mainly just brushed it off but Issei looked like he just won the lottery. He remembered feeling like that with Annabeth in the beginning and chuckled quietly in his head. Issei was clearly even more inexperienced with women than Percy had thought.

"I sure had fun today" the girl, Yuuma if Percy remembered her name correctly, said in a little girlish voice.

"Yeah, this was the best date ever." Issei said back. He sounded completely sincere which made Percy feel slightly guilty about spying on them but then he remembered how much Issei was a douche to him the past two weeks and got over it. As they were walking up to the fountain Percy could practically see what Issei was thinking as it was written all over his face. Most likely dirty thoughts about touching her.

And then Yuuma pulled away from Issei and ran up in front of the fountain. Percy turned to give the two some privacy as it looked like it was about to become an intimate moment but when he heard her voice again he stopped. It was still childish but something about it felt dark and sinister; almost like it was asking a question within a question.

"Can I ask you a question?" the girl asked. "In honor of our first date there's something I'd like you to do to commemorate this special moment."

Issei looked completely gob smacked but Percy didn't think it was what he was thinking. Something about this girl screamed different and Percy moved himself slightly closer to the pair to intervene in case it was needed.

"Sure" Issei said to her. "You can ask me for anything at all."

 _Idiot_ Percy thought. _You don't make those kinds of promises._ Years of being with Annabeth taught him that somehow, someway, he'd end up regretting those kinds of statements.

And then Percy's internal alarm system started going absolutely haywire. The girls voice lost all of its childishness and suddenly sounded more deep, more mature. He could see where someone might find it sexy but right then and there Percy was focused on whatever changes this girl was undergoing.

"Would you die for me?" she asked provocatively.

Issei got confused at that and let out a soft laugh.

"What did you say?" he asked her. "Sorry, something must be wrong with my ears. I don't think I heard you correctly. Could you maybe say that one more time please?" he let out a few more inauthentic laughs as if pretending it was a joke.

Percy dropped his hand to his pocket and immediately pulled out Riptide. His hand rested against the cap and he was ready to spring into action if he needed to. He still wasn't sure what this girl was but he was fairly sure at this point she didn't have the same intentions as an innocent teenager.

Yuuma got up close to Issei then and started whispering in his ear. Percy didn't her exact words but he knew it'd be a something like her previous statement. He wasn't sure why this girl wanted Issei to die for her but he wouldn't let anything happen to him if he could prevent it.

Suddenly, Yuuma started laughing and jumped backwards. Her clothes ripped off and some kind of black material molded around her body forming a bra and panties. Percy was captivated momentarily as most of the opponents he faced were fully clothed. A few exceptions existed, such as the Minotaur and Kampe but they didn't have the bodies of humans so it wasn't really an issue.

Issei was clearly just as spellbound as Percy was but where Percy recovered, Issei was still standing motionless. Issei fell to the ground and stared in amazement at his girlfriend. Percy turned his attention from the fallen pervert and groaned when he saw what the girl had transformed into.

Standing in front of the fountain was a fairly tall woman in all her glory. She wore only the black rubbery bra and panties and she had some chains tying a corset together across her stomach. But what was truly different about this woman wasn't her violet eyes or her black hair but rather the large black wings sprouting from her back. Percy groaned in realization.

 _Guess I found my first faction member_ he thought bitterly. _And her intention is clearly to kill Issei._ Whatever hope he had to forming an alliance with this group was about to be thrown out the window as he knew he couldn't just let her kill Issei. As much as he didn't like the kid, it wasn't right to let him die.

 _Athena is surely going to be pissed_. Percy smirked at that thought.

"Well I have to admit, I did have some fun today" the fallen angel continued. "Considering how naïve and childish you are things could have been much, much worse. Thanks a lot for the gift too. Very sweet. But even so…" she trailed off on that and Percy saw some kind of light form into a spear shape in her hand.

 _Time to move_ he thought. Without any hesitation, Percy jumped from his spot in the woods and ran towards Issei.

Issei managed to get up off the ground and started pleading with the fallen one but Percy knew it wasn't going to do any good. He was close and needed only a couple more seconds before he reached the kid.

"Yuuma, wait. Please."

"It's time to die" Yuuma announced and launched her spear.

Everything happened in slow-motion for Percy then. He saw the spear headed straight for Issei and knew he only had a few moments to make a decision. It was headed right for his chest where he would bleed out and Percy didn't have any way to save him. So, he decided to do what he was particularly known for: reckless maneuvers.

Without thinking too much about it, Percy jumped into Issei and pushed him out of the way. The pervert rolled back and away from his attacker but Percy felt the light spear graze his stomach before blowing past him. The woman clearly wasn't expecting Percy's interference and let her frustration be known by growling.

"What is this?" Yuuma asked heatedly. "Who are you?"

Percy gave her his trademark smirk. "Oh, I'm just a guy. Felt like taking a stroll through the park when I was about to witness a murder. I gotta say I wasn't expecting my Sunday to take a turn quite like this one has."

"You have no right to interfere. Leave now before I kill you as well." She threatened.

"Nah." Percy said shrugging. "I still have to do my stretches. Can't leave until I do those."

Behind him Percy could hear Issei mumble ridiculous statements.

"God the boobs on her. If she wasn't trying to kill me I'd be all over them. Maybe I can use that wish thing I got on her. Maybe it will bring Rias's boobs instead."

Percy rolled his eyes at how stupid one guy could be.

"Bro," Percy said, "you got to get out of here. She's trying to kill you. Run now, think about her boobs later."

Issei didn't say anything but his eyes did widen and Percy reflexively uncapped his sword and brought it up in a defensive position. The fallen angel wasn't expecting that and when she tried to stab Percy with the blade he merely parried the blow to the side and threw her off balance. She narrowed her eyes then.

"Who are you?" she again asked though much quieter this time. Percy barely heard her but he swung Riptide again but offensively this time. Yuuma was forced to retreat and use the length of her spear to her advantage but Percy relentlessly pursued her. He never let her get too far away to keep her longer weapon at a disadvantage. One of the first lessons he learned at camp from Luke and he used many times against his opponents.

The fallen angel was fairly skilled but he easily pushed her closer to the fountain and felt the tugging in his stomach signaling his use of his water powers. It was even easier to use than before and surprising Percy even further he saw the water pooling in bubbles around the fountain. And that was water that he didn't pull from the fountain. It seemed as if it just appeared from the air or he quickly gathered it from water molecules floating in the atmosphere.

He was so singularly focused on stopping Yuuma that he didn't notice when Issei pulled out a piece of paper and closed his eyes. Neither he nor Yuuma heard or saw anything but when a shadow of red started forming on the ground Percy adjusted to try and pay attention to the new development. Yuuma too seemed to notice it and she cursed loudly.

"Hey what the hell" Issei shouted out loud then.

Percy was lost in his focus of the circle and ended up losing control of his water manipulation. All of it fell back into the fountain and that combined with when Issei shouted he jumped and lost track of the fallen angel. Using the momentary lapse to her advantage, Yuuma jumped into the air and flew over Percy to get to Issei. She was closing the distance to finish off her target when Percy ran up to Issei again and tackled him. She was in the process of throwing her spear once more and aimed a little higher this time than before. Percy, not fully expecting the change in aiming by the angel, was covering Issei's body when he felt the spear strike through his chest. It pierced his right lung and caused Percy to gasp.

 _Gods it hurts_ he thought to himself. He'd been beaten and batter and stabbed before. Hades, he'd even been burnt by lava and stabbed multiple times with various poisons. But this stab through the lungs was in the list of top 10 most painful wounds. Maybe like number seven or eight. He felt the blood pooling in his esophagus and when he tried to speak only red liquid came out. That's not to mention that the cut along his stomach from her earlier strike was only fueling his loss of blood even more quickly.

Percy was struggling to get some air as his lungs filled with his blood and he noticed that the angel had finally disappeared. He didn't know where she went but right then he didn't care too much. He looked up into the sky and saw Issei hovering over him. The kid looked grateful but equally upset.

"You saved me" Issei muttered. He didn't move. It seemed both he and Percy knew that there wasn't any time left. This wound was too severe even with the water fountain nearby to heal with. Water only healed exterior wounds and helped clear his blood of outside parasites. That was why he could heal from cut and poisons and burns. Anything more serious than that required Ambrosia and Nectar which Percy didn't have on him.

"I promise that I'll do better now. I'm gonna be a better person."

Percy scoffed at the idea but only more blood poured from his mouth. He couldn't talk properly.

In the corner of both Percy and Issei's eyes a figure finally emerged from the red circle that formed. From start to finish the circle only took maybe 10 to 15 seconds to form but that was just enough time to help distract Percy and get him killed.

"I have come" said the figured. Her back was turned and Percy felt his eyes grow darker and darker with death coming upon him. He swore he saw Thanatos flying directly above them waiting to reap his soul.

"You're the one who summoned me are you not?" She turned around then and saw both boys. Issei knew who it was but Percy felt himself grow more and more tired and he couldn't be sure.

Taking in the scene, the figure started speaking again.

"Since death is upon you I will gladly take you in." Percy thought he saw some kind of wings emerge from the person's back but he couldn't be sure. Issei jumped backwards though.

"From this moment forward, you will live your life for my sake."

Percy couldn't move. He struggled to breath and his blood was still pooling on the ground under him. His eyes were now completely closed and he felt Thanatos grab his soul. His full, complete soul. The thought brought a weak smile to Percy's face. However, just before he vanished off into the Underworld with Death he stuttered out one final word.

"N-N-N-No" he weakly mumbled with his dying breath. He would enjoy his well-earned rest in Elysium with his fellow heroes and friends. It was time for somebody else to take the reins.

And that was how the Savior of Olympus died.

(Line Break)

Rias stared at the scene she came upon with a bit of apprehension. She had offered to take this boy in and save his life. Something she rarely agreed to in the first place. She wasn't completely sure but she thought he had said no at the end. He had called her here though so it didn't make sense why he wouldn't want to be saved. His pulse was nonexistent then. He exhaled his final breath from the world and she decided to resurrect him as one of her Evil Pieces.

Without too much hesitation she pulled out five pawn pieces from a satchel she carried on her. They were a translucent red color made that way in respect for her family. After spending the past week and a half observing him, and having Akeno, Koneko and Kiba watching him too, she was right about her instincts. There was something special about him that she hadn't seen since she welcomed Kiba into her Peerage. Besides it wasn't just anyone who would jump in front of a random person much less somebody you didn't like.

Oh, she knew all about the tenuous relationship between Percy and Issei. She had specifically watched Issei too ever since she felt his power, latent as it was. Giving her familiar the wish contracts she wanted Issei under her eye just as she had instructed her familiar to do the same to Percy. It oozed off of him almost as much as Percy's did to him. These two were extremely powerful, though she didn't know what about them made it so. When she saw the two boys fighting in the hallway she felt a flair up of an aura from both of them and knew they were somehow feeding each other. Their mutual dislike was obvious, though she didn't exactly blame Percy seeing as how Issei was one of the biggest perverts in school.

Rias quickly and efficiently worked. She arranged four of the pawns around Percy's chest and held the fifth in her hands. The devil let a burst of power surge from her and it enveloped the five pawn pieces in a dark red energy. She started chanting then.

"I, Rias Gremory, hereby decree that Perseus Jackson shall have his soul returned to walk the Earth once more as a devil in servitude to me. REJOICE IN YOUR NEW LIFE MY PAWN!"

A burst of light sprung forth from Percy's chest and all five pieces melted down into the gaping wound. It closed sealing and leaving a faded scar over his right breast. When the light finally dimmed down, Rias took a closer look at her new servant and she noticed that this scar was but one of many. He had them littering all over his chest and arms.

 _I'll have to ask him about them when he awakens._ She thought. Rias could see the steady breathing once more take Percy.

"What did you do?" a stunned Issei asked from beside her. He hadn't made a single noise during the summoning, which she was thankful for.

Turning her full attention on the other boy she eyed him skeptically. She could tell he had power but his reputation as a pervert certainly put her off to him. But, if the Fallen Angels were targeting him because of whatever power he had then it only furthered her desire to figure it out.

"I have claimed him as a devil servant. But that is not important right now. You have also called me have you not? What is your wish?"

Issei hadn't looked at Rias, instead focusing his attention solely on the boy. He looked conflicted.

"He saved me." Issei mumbled again. "Why did he save me?"

Now it was Rias' turn to be surprised. She didn't know Issei could feel remorse like this. He never had when spying on the girls at school.

"I don't know" she said softly to him.

"He's a hero." Issei trailed off after that.

It was quiet for a few minutes as Rias took in everything. The sun had finally set now and her night vision kicked in making everything more visible. The lamp posts had all lit up now and the light reflected on the fountain giving off a glistening prism of colors. Trees surrounding the pathways were menacing in a way that mortals would find scary but Rias didn't. She let the silence grow for a little longer before talking to Issei again.

"We can't form a contract if I don't know what your wish is."

Issei was pulled from whatever thoughts he had and looked back and forth between Percy and Rias. What she heard from him was something she didn't expect.

"I don't want to be weak anymore. I had to rely on this kid who doesn't even like me to save me. And he died doing it. Can you give me power? Something that I can get strong and defend myself and my friends with?"

Rias jumped as the suggestion but quickly schooled her features. She was the next head of the Gremory household and she wasn't one to show emotions too often. Fortunately, it didn't seem like Issei noticed her lapse. She gave him another skeptical look before addressing him.

"You already have power. You just need to know how to use it."

"Can you teach me then?" he asked fiercely. "I'll give you anything. You're a devil, right? That's what you said Percy was now? I'll give you my soul or whatever. Just help teach me how to use this power you say I have."

Issei looked one hundred percent serious with his offer. Rias didn't collect human souls like some devils did. It was bad for business and a repeat customer was always more useful than a one-time transaction.

"Just let me have sex first." Issei jumped in before Rias could even say anything. "Seeing how I might have died a few minutes ago from my girlfriend made me prioritize things a bit more. You can have my soul after I get some tasty pink cookies."

Ignoring the despicable attitude towards women, Rias thought of a better solution.

"What if I told you, you could have all the women you wanted and still learn to use your power?" she asked.

He eagerly perked up at that. His eyes widened and she could see the lecherous thoughts seep out of his mind and onto his face. It was creepy.

"Yes, definitely. What do I have to do?"

"Would you consider becoming a servant of mine as well? I will help train you to use your powers and if you do a good job I'll let you start collecting servants of your own. You could even form something like… a harem maybe?"

Much like the other students had heard around school, she too had heard of his and his friends' desires to form a harem. Her offer was genuine if he could rise up high enough in the ranks. And she _would_ help him get stronger. A peerage was only as strong as its weakest member after all.

"A harem?" he asked wistfully. Rias could see stars in his eyes now and she wasn't surprised with his response.

"Yes! Yes! Absolutely yes! How do I get all the ladies! I want servants of my own! What do I need to do?!"

She laughed softly at his eagerness.

"Take a deep breath. You have to work your way up. Here, hold these chess pieces." She handed him the other three pawn pieces. "Now get down on one knee and repeat after me: I, Issei Hyoudou, swear my life to the service of Rias Gremory. I swear to be her loyal servant from this day until my last."

Issei didn't even hesitate, though she did think he tried to get a close up look at her panties. "I, Issei Hyoudou, swear my life to the service of Rias Gremory. I swear to be her loyal servant from this day until my last."

"I, Rias Gremory, have heard the pledge of fealty from Issei Hyoudou. I accept his words and welcome him into my Peerage and Family. RISE NOW MY SERVANT!"

Much like with Percy, the three pawn pieces blended together and melted into Issei's skin. She knew it didn't hurt from past experiences and Issei barely acknowledged it.

"Cool" Issei said looking over his body. It wasn't any different but she didn't say that out loud. "So, how can I get my hands on all the beautiful tatas?!" he asked eagerly.

"For now," Rias began, "head on home. Get a good night's rest. In the next few days I'll send someone to bring you to the club and formally introduce you to the rest of us. In the meantime, don't mention this to anyone, especially not Percy. I'll be the one to handle him."

Issei nodded quickly and excitedly. "Absolutely. Not a word." He began jumping and skipping away down the path out of the park and letting out whoops of joy. She heard one final remark as he disappeared in the darkness.

"I'll be the best servant you've ever had Rias! I promise! I'm gonna be the Harem King!"

Rias shook her head and looked down at her other newest servant.

"Somehow, I don't think that's quite true Issei."

She gathered up her other new pawn and formed a magic circle, transporting them to his house where she tucked him into his bed and said her farewells.


	11. Chapter 9: Consequences

**Damn. So reviews for days. It was pretty much like I thought I was gonna get so I was prepared. Check out the A/N at the bottom for some thanks and explanation. This chapter will also explain some things and is important for why things happened the way they did.**

Chapter 9: Consequences

When Percy opened his eyes his found himself in a familiar location. He was standing in an open lobby that extended a ways down a hallway with translucent ghostly figures linings the wall. The hall was tiled with morbid inkblot style depictions and the walls were a bland grey color. A steel grey narrow carpet layered the floors hiding most of the tiles but complementing their dullness. The lighting from the ceiling was flickering giving an eerie sensation and terrible Muzak was blaring through the speakers. Up at the front of the room sat a black leather couch and matching chair upon which Charon sat on a raised podium guarding an elevator Percy knew descended into the Underworld.

Charon hadn't changed much in the few years since Percy met him. He still wore his elegant Italian silk suits that accentuated his chocolate colored skin and bleach-blonde hair. His glasses were tortoise-shell shaped and allowed Percy to see the empty, despair-ridden eyes behind them. The god still adorned the black rose lapel on his left breast and the silver name tag that read "Charon" was directly beneath it. Percy, showing no fear, walked directly up to him.

"Can I help you?" the exasperated voice of the god rang out. His posh British accent rang out as soft as it had the first time Percy met him.

"Yes," Percy said, "I'd like to go into the Underworld."

Charon still had taken no notice of the now dead demigod being too preoccupied in flipping the catalogue of a magazine of men's clothes but when he heard Percy wanting to go into the Underworld he raised his eyes.

"Really now?" he questioned skeptically. "It's pretty rare that people want to go into Hades nowadays. How did you die?"

Percy smirked. He remembered how things went down the last time he visited and he thought he'd have a bit of fun with it.

"I died in the bathtub."

Charon rolled his eyes. "What is it today with people dying in the bathtub? You're the 80th person to die by bathtub related incident this week. Did you drown or hit your head?"

"I think I'd have a tough time drowning in water" he said laughingly.

Charon squinted his eyes at that. "Do I know you? You do look familiar."

Percy gave a genuine smile then. "Yes, you do. I've been here before actually."

At that Charon was quiet. Percy figured since he saw literally thousands of people dying and entering the Underworld everyday it wasn't really surprising that he didn't recognize him immediately. He did only meet him that one time.

To help the god along Percy then said, "Did Hades ever give you that pay raise? I did mention it to him."

And then the lightbulb went off. Charon smiled and slapped his hand on the podium.

"Why if it isn't Percy Jackson. I was wondering when you'd be coming back."

Percy had Charon's full attention now. "Hey Charon. Good to see you again. I like the suit. New style for you?"

Charon's grin grew. "Why yes, it is actually. I used my yearly bonus money from your uncle on it. I find the black to be most appropriate and this silk is threaded with a new age blend of multiple kinds from all over the world. I swear these Italians are truly brilliant when it comes to fashion."

Percy laughed at the simplicity of something like a new suit. He was dead. He should be distraught that his life was cut short. And yet Percy couldn't find it in him to be too upset. After everything he'd experienced he was ready for this. He felt a bit guilty about leaving his mom and his friends but at the same time he felt relieved. Relieved he didn't have to deal with any more fighting or any more prophecies. Relieved that he didn't have to deal with this whole candidate business. It was somebody else's problem now. That was a bit selfish thinking but he'd earned his rest he thought.

"So," he began after a moment, "can I go down into the Underworld now?"

"Sure" Charon replied. "Just as soon as you provide payment."

Percy's jaw went from smiling to gaping. "Payment?" He tried feeling up his clothes for any drachmas. He pet his front and back pockets repeatedly and even checked his shoes on the off chance there might be something there. Nothing. He died wearing a pair of running shorts and a short sleeve shirt. He wasn't carrying any Nectar and Ambrosia on him much less any drachmas.

"I…" he tried to find the right words but nothing came out.

"I… don't have any on me" he said at last.

Charon gave him a pitying look. "No payment, no passage" he said as if he'd done it millions of time before.

"But what about all that bribe money I gave you" Percy said trying to think of anything he could. "That should have been enough to cover all my journey."

"And it did" the god replied back. "It covered your travel across the River when you were alive. Now you're dead. You'll have to wait until payment is made. Or until I finish escorting all these other souls across." Charon gestured his hand down the hallway in reference to all the other souls who didn't have payment.

"No Charon" a voice then said from the side of Percy and the god. It was deep and oily, seeming to seep down into both the demigod and ferryman's skin. When Percy turned he saw that his uncle had made the trek from his palace to the lobby.

Hades wasn't nearly as tall as Percy remembered him during their first encounter but he was still taller than him. The muscular physique was defined by his albino white skin he got from residing almost year-round in the Underworld. When Percy looked into his uncle's eyes he saw the glittering onyx madness that gave him that evil genius charisma.

"My Lord" Charon said standing to greet his master. Percy turned his attention to his uncle and dropped to one knee. It was better to suck in a bit of pride and give the master of the house the respect he wanted. Then Percy knew he'd enjoy his time in Elysium.

"Uncle" Percy said.

"Nephew" was his response. He turned to look at Charon then. "It is alright Charon. I will escort Perseus myself to the judgment tables. You may return to your job of ferrying people across the river." He said that last part while looking pointedly at the piling lines of people in the lobby. "It's what I pay you for after all."

"Of course my Lord," Charon replied. He hadn't made eye contact with Hades in their conversation.

"Come Perseus." Hades said while grabbing his shoulder. It was a tight grip and before Percy could even move a flash of light blinded him and he was standing with his uncle in the lines for Judgement.

"I must say I was a bit surprised when I felt your soul come into the Studio" Hades continued. Percy was rubbing his shoulder to ease the sourness from Hades grip now that his uncle had released him. "Normally, I wouldn't do something like this for a demigod but it's not everyday that the 'Savior of Olympus' enters my domain."

Percy didn't know what to say so he just stood there. It was a lot to take in now that he was about to be judged. He knew he'd make Elysium but he couldn't help second guessing himself and his life too.

 _They're going to look at everything_ he thought to himself. _All those times with he got into fights at school and got in trouble for stupid choices he'd made. I didn't help mom against Smelly Gabe_. He knew his mom was perfectly capable of defending himself but his wished she didn't have to carry the burden of knowing she turned him into stone with her forever. That was one choice Percy did regret after looking back on it years later.

 _And all those demigods I killed._ That was one thing Percy really regretted. He didn't know how many he did actually kill, everything during those fights was happening way too fast to really pay attention, and there were way more monsters than demigods, but he could still picture the occasional face of someone he struck down as he slept. And it wasn't even really a fair fight. His Curse of Achilles made sure of that.

 _It was war_ he justified to himself. _We did what we had to, to win._ Somehow, those words only rang hollow.

"Next" rang a voice from the room. As he was lost in his thoughts Percy didn't realize that the tent flap to Judgement Pavilion opened.

"In you go" Hades said next to him. Percy knew he wouldn't interfere with the judgement, as the Lord of Death Hades had to set an example, but having his uncle watch the proceeding didn't make him feel any more comfortable. Hades seemed to notice that and smirked down at him before going to some seats set up to the side.

As Percy walked into the Pavilion he was caught off guard by what he saw. From the outside the Judgement Pavilion was a black tent but inside was a spacious area that had a table in the front with a single wooden chair directly in front of it. Hades was sitting in a throne like chair to the right of the head table. The ground was the same sparse, rocky dirt as the outside had been and lanterns and candles lit up the posts where ceiling met wall. Behind the table sat two men and one woman whom Percy didn't recognize. They were each garbed in ancient clothes and wore a crown on their heads.

"Welcome brother" the female voice said. It was rough but not altogether unwelcoming. Being called brother definitely caught Percy off guard though.

"Huh?" Percy said confusedly.

"I am Hydna of Scione, also a child of Poseidon. It has been many years since the last of our siblings have journey through the tent flaps. I welcome you." She was smiling and that made Percy feel a bit better.

Percy then turned and looked at the other two Judges. Their faces were emotionless and Percy thought he could easily break a rock on their heads and he doubted they'd even feel it.

"We're dead young hero, of course getting hit by a rock wouldn't hurt" the man on the far right said. Percy was shocked that they'd read his mind.

The middle judge laughed at that. "There are no secrets among the dead" he said. "I am Pittacus of Mytilene and the other is Cadmus of Thebes. Ancient kings and wise men of days long past. We can enter the minds of those we judge and recall their memories. It is how we maintain fair and unbiased opinions."

"I may be your sister" Hydna said again, "but do not think that will help you here. We judge only on merit and deem you worthy or unworthy based on your deeds in life." Percy gulped at that.

"Let us begin" Cadmus said.

Percy wanted to stop them and claim he just wandering into here by accident, that he was looking for the dining pavilion for a cup of coffee, but they didn't seem to pick up on that. Flashes of past events then flew through Percy's mind.

(Line Break)

He was six and accidentally broke a speaker of Gabe's. His asshole of the step-father roared and ranted threatening to throw him out into the streets after such an "unforgivable" sin. His mother stepped in then trying to calm him down only for Gabe to grab her by her hair and throw her into their bedroom. Gabe followed and shut the door. He heard muffled screams from his mother and the sound of flesh smacking flesh but he never opened the door. Gabe frightened him too much. A few minutes later his mom came out looking flustered and disheveled with red marks on her face. Gabe remained in the room and Percy selfishly felt grateful for that. Sally came up to her son and pulled him into a hug and comforted him; telling him everything was alright, she handled it and there wasn't anything to worry about. He just couldn't touch any of Gabe's stuff anymore. The next year Sally began sending Percy to boarding school.

He was ten now and he saw a kid being made fun of for his glasses. Percy never really cared about people's appearances but watching how six other children merciless teased this boy wearing simple glasses really pissed him off. So, without any provocation, Percy walked up to the group and started defending the bullied kid. He started calling out the eldest boy, the leader of the group, saying that he should talk since he wore stupid plaid dress shirts and the like. The group shifted their focus on Percy then and the kid in the glasses managed to sneak away but now Percy was caught in their crosshairs. They teased him about his dyslexia and how he was the worst student in school and how he always wore clothes two sizes too big for him. At first Percy let them get in their jabs but soon it extended too far and they were calling him poor and making fun of his mother. Percy didn't recall who threw the first punch but he definitely knew he threw the last one. He wasn't invited back to that school next year.

Percy then remembered standing on Half-Blood hill and watching as the Minotaur squeezed the life from his mother and she faded into dust. He felt enraged and without thinking about it, subconsciously felt the raining falling from the sky feed into his power for one of the first times. It was fast and he remembered how he slew the Minotaur and saved Grover, dragging him down into the Big House where he passed out.

As Percy exited the throne room after returning his uncle's Master Bolt he saw all the minor gods and nymphs and satyrs of Olympus kneel to him for the first time. He wasn't deserving of such praise. All he did was return his uncle's symbol and clear his father's name. Despite his father's words he was no hero. Not right then anyway. He didn't even figure out who the real Lightning Thief was. The only thing he knew right then was he wanted to go see his mother.

He was another year older now. Holding onto a Hippocampus he was guiding him and his friends back into the port of Miami with a shivering daughter of Athena and a shocked daughter of Ares behind him. His brother and friend sat on another majestic creature when they noticed the giant cruise ship anchored. He knew what to do; he'd felt it ever since they first left camp without permission. Turning to Clarisse he told her to take the Golden Fleece and get to camp while he dealt with Luke and the monsters. He didn't need to be the hero; as long as he saved his friends that's all he cared about.

The weight of the world felt crushing on his shoulders. He saw Annabeth off to the side struggling to move and attempting to tend to the wounds of Zoe Nightshade. Thalia had just thrown Luke off of the mountain and Artemis and Atlas were locked in a heated exchange of flurries. He could feel his heart growing weaker and he knew just by taking this burden he'd already cut off at least five years from his lifespan. And then he wasn't under the sky anymore. Atlas was back where he belonged and Percy was crawling back to the goddess looking over her Lieutenant. It was a fatal wound. Percy felt tears in his eyes at witnessing his new friend's passing.

When Percy opened his eyes, he took in the dark dampness of his location. A cave if the circular opening at the end was anything to go by. It was simple, if homey still. Making his way outside, he saw fields of beautiful flowers and insects dancing around them. It was one of the most beautiful visions he'd ever seen. Until he saw her that was. Tending to her numerous gardens was a woman to rival the beauty of Aphrodite herself. Her tanned skin and cinnamon colored hair radiated beauty and fertility he hadn't seen before. Getting to know her was something that Percy would treasure and as he discovered more about her she only became more amazing. Kind, caring, forgiving. All words to describe her. And then Percy had to leave her. The world depended on him still. It would always be his greatest "what-if".

Percy just experienced the most painful feeling in his entire life, and having held up the weight of the world that was a difficult accomplishment. His skin still glowed red from just having gone into the River Styx but he felt like he never had before. Power surged through his veins and he knew he'd be unstoppable. And he proved that not long after as he defeated his uncle and his army of undead come to stop him. He was ready now. He had a war to lead.

He was standing in the throne room looking into the blue and gold eyes of his rival. For years Percy and Luke had tried to kill each other. Both thinking that they were working for opposite goals. But that wasn't true at all. They both wished the gods would actually acknowledge their children and maybe spend some time with them. It was the hope of every demigod to spend some time with their godly parent. Sadly, they chose different paths to get there. And when it came time for Percy to save Olympus he hesitated for only a moment. Annabeth's words ringing in his ears about how Luke wasn't bad, he'd just made bad choices. He trusted Annabeth and his own instincts right then. He gave Annabeth's dagger to Luke. Fortunately, it worked out.

Being in the presence of the Olympian Council was overwhelming. Any of these beings could easily smite him and his fellow demigods with nary a second thought. But right now, they owed him. Luke and him saved them. Everyone else got something they always wanted. Clarisse finally got the love and affection from her father that she'd struggled for years to obtain. Grover was made into the new Pan and Lord of the Wild. Annabeth would redesign Olympus and create monuments that would forever immortalize the gods and their deeds. What did Percy want though? They were offering a gift of whatever he wanted. Godhood even. Something granted only very few others throughout mythological history. And it was his for the taking. But when he looked at Annabeth he knew he didn't want immortality. Immortality was a curse just as much as a blessing. Much like his Curse of Achilles. Taking a deep breath, Percy knew what he had to do.

He was standing on top of a glacier now. His two friends, Hazel and Frank, gathered around him ready to face the hordes of whatever monsters were coming their way. They were scared he knew. A Giant, the same one that was born to defeat Hazel's father Pluto, resided there. Thanatos was only a few yards away looking at them expectantly. Percy could read the fear on his friend's faces and knew he had to be strong for them. He was scared too. He was always scared when he fought against monsters. He still didn't remember everything, only very small scrapes had managed to return to him, but he knew that much. Booming laughter and an evil voice was heard taunting them. He steeled himself and got ready for what was to come. Let his friends see that he was unafraid. They didn't need to know he was scared. He would do whatever he could to make sure this quest succeeded. Right then that meant putting on the brave face and charging a legion of undead ghosts. And that's exactly what he did.

Now he was holding onto the ledge above an endless abyss. Annabeth was tightly grabbing his wrist and he was slowly being stretched painfully. Jason and the others were too far away and Nico was just out of reach. He looked into the eyes of his wonderful girlfriend and felt his resolve harden. He could see the same look in her eyes too. He couldn't hold on forever, everyone was too far away. But he had his Wise Girl with him. Together they'd get through everything. They always had before. They'd find a way again. With a nod of his head Percy made his promise to her. "We're staying together. You're not getting away from me. Never Again." And they fell into darkness.

Percy had experienced much in his years as a demigod. Joy and happiness of course, incredible pain at other times. But he never felt as weak as he did right then in Tartarus. The Sulphur laced air was slowly eating away at his and Annabeth's respiratory system and the acid from it was causing his skin to blister and boil. And now Annabeth was scared of him. True genuine fear. He'd turned Akhly's own poison against her and caused the goddess of misery to cry and wail in fear and agony. He never thought he'd reach a point where he could torture a goddess but after finding himself in the Pit he found himself willing to do almost anything to get out. And that scared him more than anything else down here ever could.

Percy thought Athens might have looked amazing back in it's heyday. Right now, with Giants and monsters trampling around, he thought it looked pretty unspectacular. He joined his father in the fight against the Giants, selecting both Otus and Ephialtes to be their opponents. Him and his father were the only fools to challenge the two brothers at once, the rest of the gods and demigods choosing single opponents and some monsters. Luckily, it was a pretty quick fight as Percy slashed at the two and lined them up for his father to blast a hard torrent of water straight through their stomachs and knocking them off the hillside. It was a happy moment for Percy, despite the carnage around him. He actually got to fight with his father. Only the heroes of old could claim such a feat and now Percy joined their company in one more regard. He'd done his piece in the ancient lands. Him and the seven had finally stopped the Giants. Now they only had one last opponent to defeat though she was perhaps the worst of all.

Getting stabbed through the chest was not exactly how Percy pictured himself dying. Sure, he figured he'd die fighting against a monster, and he supposed this Fallen Angel classified as one, but he stupidly ended up getting distracted trying to save a boy. A boy he didn't even like at that. The fight couldn't have lasted more than a minute and he got distracted by the happenings of some flashes of red and a boy yelling in shock. Chiron had told him numerous times to be mindful of his surroundings and not get caught singularly focused on his opponent otherwise it'd eventually get him killed. It seemed the old Centaur was right. He supposed it was a heroic way to die if he really thought about it. Saving a mortal was always a good deed and it was the responsibility of demigods to ensure their safety. He just wished that it hadn't been a pervert he was saving.

(Line Break)

Everything flashed passed Percy in a moment. He saw all his greatest triumphs and failures float through his mind and knew the Judges were seeing them as well. The whole viewing couldn't have taken more than five seconds but Percy could picture everything as clearly as the day they happened. He remembered his guilt about his mom and Calypso. He could still see the looks of fear from the demigods his faced down and the look of horror on Annabeth's face as he defeated the goddess of misery. But he also remembered the feeling of saving Clarisse on Polyphemus' island and letting her get the Fleece back; helping Grover and the other Satyrs defeat the Titan Hyperion and his raging sun blinding powers. He felt the elation and joy from the demigods and minor gods and goddesses alike as he used his wish to secure places for them at Camp and amnesty.

The Judges had only looked at Percy while everything was happening but then he saw them lean in to conference amongst themselves. His uncle was still off to the side smirking at the scene. That didn't reassure Percy but there wasn't anything else he could do. He was here now and it was only a few moments away from hearing the verdict.

"We have come to a decision" Cadmus said. "We will each announce our results now."

Percy looked back and forth between the three judges nervously. This was it.

"I will go first" Cadmus continued. "You have shown yourself to have many faults demigod. You have been selfish and prideful at times. Not to mention ignorant despite your friends and mentor telling you to study up on history. But then again was it not in the plans of Moirai to design you as such? In spite of your short comings you have proven to be a worthy hero. It is exceedingly rare that one is offered godhood. As such I deem you worthy for Elysium."

The result wasn't surprising. Percy expected himself to be worthy of Elysium based on some of the things he did. And yet at hearing those words Percy let out an enormous sigh of relief.

 _One down, two to go_.

His half-sister then started speaking. "Brother, I must say that you have exceeded the expectations of everyone around you. Children of our father are often viewed as destructive and tempestuous given our nature." Both she and Percy shared a small smile at that. "But you have shown even sworn enemies of Greece that the sea is not always harsh and unforgiving as it might seem. It can be a mighty ally if given a chance. You have managed to bring two people's together that have been separated for a millennium. I commend you. It is with these deeds that I declare you worthy of Elysium."

He'd done it. Even without the last judge's opinion he had enough votes to get into paradise. He could see all his friends again and celebrate with all the other heroes. The last judge smiled at him and Percy could see the desire to speak from him. Percy gave the last judge his full attention. He could at least be respectful of the situation.

"Well done indeed son of Poseidon" Pittacus said. "Both of my fellow judges have been right in their condemnation and praise of your actions. We are only human after all, though maybe just a little less than others." His eyes sparkled at that. "With that said, I am most pleased with your decision concerning young Luke Castellan. It was not long ago that I remember him coming through this very same pavilion ready for his Judgement."

"You tried Luke?" Percy asked astonished. "I thought that the Judges were rotating by then?"

"Ah but they were. It was one of my first judgements actually. And a heavy one at that." Pittacus got quiet then. Percy felt slightly uncomfortable. He was afraid to ask but at the same time he had to know.

"What happened?"

Pittacus looked critically at Percy then. As if weighing to actually tell him. But then he nodded his head and answered his question.

"Luke Castellan was Judge to the Fields of Asphodel. He committed too many great sins in his life to offset his few heroic deeds. I myself pushed for Elysium but my fellow members agreed he would serve his time in Asphodel. In time he will be plucked and chosen for rebirth but for now he is part of the mindless meandering of the masses."

Percy felt bad upon hearing that. In his mind Luke was a hero at the end. He saved everyone by sacrificing himself and scattering Kronos into the far winds of Tartarus. It would be a very long time before the Titan King could come close to attempting something like that again.

"I'm sorry to hear that" Percy said. "We didn't always get along in life but Luke was trying to do the right thing."

"I agree" Pittacus said. "It has always been one of my sayings that 'forgiveness is better than revenge'. I must say Perseus that you have exemplified that better than most. Instead of striking down young Luke you instead took the path of righteousness and thus saved Olympus. You are indeed a hero worthy of Elysium."

Hearing that again brought another smile to Percy's face. He was deemed a hero by every judge. Everything he did in his life was weighed and he was found to be worthy. He could now join everyone in that paradise of sunshine and laughter with sparkling lakes and lush fields and forests. He bowed to the Judges before turning and getting ready to leave. His uncle stood up then and began walking over to him.

"Hold Perseus" Cadmus said. Percy stopped in his tracks wondering what was going on now. Hades too had stopped though he looked at the three Judges skeptically. It seemed whatever was happening was a rare situation if it caught even Hades by surprise.

"We have not finished Judgement demigod" his sister said. She didn't say it harshly though; her smile betrayed her.

"A rare event is occurring" Pittacus said then. "One which hasn't happened for many, many years. A hero has been deemed worthy of Elysium… in three lifetimes."

"Wha" Percy trailed off. He went back to looking at them incredulously. "Three times? I haven't been here before."

And then it clicked. They didn't mean he specifically had been through Judgement three times but rather his soul had.

"But… that means…" he couldn't get it out it was just so far-fetched. He remembered how when he first visited the Underworld that him and Annabeth and Grover saw the beauty was that Elysium. And in the middle of paradise was the true utopia. The Isle of the Blest. The place that only the most elite of heroes earned. A soul had to achieve Elysium three times before it was worthy of that.

"That's right brother" Hydna said. "It gives me the greatest of pleasures to welcome the newest member to the Isle of the Blest. You've truly earned it Percy."

All three Judges were smiling at Percy. He still had his jaw gaping; especially when he saw his uncle smiling at him as well.

"Congratulations nephew" Hades said. "It seems you've been found worthy of the greatest of honors. Come, I will escort you to your new home."

Percy turned and followed his uncle. He still couldn't believe what was happening but he couldn't help the feeling of pure unadulterated joy emitting from him. The smile on his face was growing and growing by the second.

 _I did it_ he thought. _I've done what so few have ever done before._

The real kicker in this whole situation was Percy didn't remember his other lives. He had no idea what they had done to be worthy of Elysium but at the same time he was extraordinarily grateful all the same. His uncle and him were coming closer and closer to the gates by the second and his heart was pounding. He didn't even think souls had hearts but he still had his body, even if it was a spirit body, so it made sense the rest of his body was there too. It was just past the gates now. Slowly the barrier to paradise was opening up for him to enter.

And then he felt it. He tried taking a step to cross into his utopia but a tugging sensation began pulling him in the opposite direction. It was fierce and he started slipping backwards. His uncle turned from the entrance and the smile he adopted vanished into a fiery rage.

"Uncle!" Percy shouted. "What's going on?! Help me! Please!" Percy never begged. But right then and there he would climb Mt. Olympus on his bare knees for his uncle's assistance.

"NO!" roared the god of the Underworld. "HE IS MINE!" With each passing second Percy was pulled further and further away from his glorious new home. The pure rage that Hades was emitting was staggering. All nearby souls were completely vaporized and would reform later.

Percy was flying completely backwards now. His feet had left the ground and he was flailing his arms in the air in every direction hoping to grab something. His shrieks and cries for his uncle were causing those sentient souls of the Judgement Pavilion to come outside and witness his situation. A look of pity transformed their faces and as one they slowly turned and went back into their tent.

"No!" he yelled. "Elysium! I earned it! Someone please help!"

"YOU WILL REGRET THIS!" Hades exclaimed. The Underworld shook and trembled with his yells. "YOU CANNOT TAKE A SOUL FROM ME AND EXPECT NO RETRIBUTION!"

Percy knew it was helpless at this point. His uncle had clearly tried to do something if him waving his arms was any indication but Percy's soul wasn't stopping. In fact, things seemed to be speeding up and Percy could see the dark nothingness of rock ahead. He had stopped his yelling for now. He would figure out what was happening when he stopped. And one thing was definitely for sure then: there would be Hades to pay. Then he crashed through the rock and knew no more.

(Line Break)

When Percy woke up the next morning he was back in his body and gasping for air. His head was pounding and his stupid alarm clock was blaring about waking up or killing him dead. Percy just grabbed it from his desk and threw it across the room. What he didn't see was it bouncing around and coming to a complete standstill. It'd take a lot more than that to break it.

"Percy!" the voice of his mother said, "Time to get up. Paul's leaving soon and you don't want to be late for school."

"Ugh" Percy said rubbing his head. He had the craziest dream, which was actually saying a lot considering demigod dreams were usually pretty crazy. Running into the shower he quickly turned on the water and let it run down his body while he tried to remember it. The normal demigod dreams faded off so no demigod remembered everything perfectly but Percy was having even more difficulty than usual with this dream. It was like his mind was fighting amongst itself and he was only getting a headache from it.

"Percy!" Sally thundered again, "Hurry up! Paul's waiting on you!"

"Alright! Alright." He yelled back. He was trying really hard to remember the dream but it just kept eluding him. Getting out of the shower he used his powers to evaporate the water on his skin and got changed into his uniform.

"I'm here" Percy said jumping down the stairs.

"It's about time" Sally said. "It's a good thing school isn't far otherwise Paul would be late." His mom was angry Percy could tell that much.

He was hesitant but he had to know why. "Umm… is everything ok mom?"

Sally pursed her lips. "You need to get to school. And maybe along the way you can explain to Paul about why you didn't tell us when you got home last night." She shoved a brown paper bag in his hands and shoved him out the door before he could answer.

If he even could.

(Line Break)

The entire day Percy couldn't stop thinking about his dream. Or more like he couldn't stop trying to remember his dream. He recalled a vague situation where he was fighting some kind of monster with black wings and a bright colored spear. He thought he remembered his uncle being around and yelling furiously. In every class he was so distracted that any time he was called on he instinctively answered in English rather than Japanese. That didn't exactly endear him to many of his teachers.

"Percy" Paul said after their English Foreign Language class, "are you feeling alright? You weren't paying attention at all today."

Percy wasn't sure how to answer that exactly. He couldn't just say _Oh yeah everything's fine Paul, I think I just died last night and was resurrected_. But he also couldn't just leave it at nothing either. So, he settled on something in the middle.

"I'm sorry Paul," he began. "I had some kind of crazy dream last night that I just can't get out of my mind."

Paul frowned. "Dream? Like in your," his voice dropped down to a whisper then, "demigod dreams?"

"I'm not sure. I can't really remember it but I feel like it's important too."

There was silence between them for a moment. Percy was deep in thought about his dream and Paul looked concernedly at his step-son.

"Are you sure you're alright Percy?"

Seeing that he was upsetting his step-dad Percy put a smile on his face. "Yeah, I'm sorry. It'll be alright. I'm sure I'll remember it eventually." He tried to shrug the whole conversation off to ease Paul's mind.

It worked to an extent. His step-dad still had a worried expression to him but smiled a moment later being reassured.

"Good. Try to focus in your last few classes ok. I don't want to hear about your slacking off from the other teachers."

And so, Percy tried to pay attention in the rest of his classes. It was difficult but he'd made an effort to appease Paul. The strange dream just wouldn't go away though. Bits and pieces kept coming to him in random spurts throughout the remainder of the day. One time it was more detail about the Fallen Angel character that attacked him and another boy he only vaguely pictured; another time he was standing nervously in front of a table with three individuals looking at him.

He felt he was being watched much like he had the previous week and whenever he turned his head he always ended catching the eyes of someone. In the morning it was that girl Akeno Himejima with her black hair and violet eyes. Her eyes sparkled and she had a childlike smile on her face. At lunch time he saw that same blonde-haired boy he caught Issei and his two friends complaining about looking at him. Yuuto Kiba if he remembered correctly. He was surrounded by a bunch of girls all fawning over his good looks. Kiba was disarming them with his casual smile and pleasant demeanor but Percy definitely saw the boy watching him walk to his table. And in the afternoon he definitely made out the crimson red hair of Rias Gremory shadowing him. It was always in a passerby fashion, like she was going to her next class, but her eyes following him kept drifting to his chest.

The odd one following him though was Issei. At least Percy didn't think Issei was intentionally following him; it was more of a situation where whenever Percy was going to his next class he heard Issei and his two friends yelling about something. What gave it away though was Issei making an effort to not pay attention to Percy. Whenever Percy walked by, Issei would turn his head so he was specifically looking at either Matsuda or Motohama, whichever was in the opposite direction of Percy. Percy narrowed his eyes at that but mainly just tossed it up to the fact that he and Issei didn't get along well.

"Hey Issei, you feeling alright?" Percy heard as he walked by to his last period of the day. One of Issei's friends was talking to his fellow pervert.

"Yeah, just a bit out of it today" Issei replied.

His friends nodded as Percy turned and headed up the second flight of stairs.

"You know what you need?" the one named Matsuda said.

 _A less creepy hobby_ Percy thought.

"You need to come over to my house and watch my collection of DVD PORN!"

 _Why the Hades are you yelling that out loud Asshole?_

The girls walking by them clearly agreed with Percy as they both turned disgusted looks at the trio before scampering past as fast as they could.

As Percy reached the last stair he saw the Two Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy again. They had just turned down the hall and were about to descend the stairs Percy just ascended. Neither looked at him directly in the eyes but at the same time he felt them watching his every move. And he was sick of it.

Growling, Percy turned around and stalked up to them. They clearly felt his presence as they stopped and turned to look at him. He was the taller one now as he was at the top of the stairs and they just below him.

"Can I help you?" Rias asked him.

"Yes" Percy said through clenched teeth. "Why have you been following me around all day?"

"Excuse me?" she said. "I have been going to my classes all day. I know we've come across each other a few times but I'm certainly not following you."

Her face was stoic and Akeno's next to her resembled the same.

"Bullshit" Percy said slipping into English. The students around them clearly didn't understand him but the two women did surprisingly. "I've seen you both watching me around for the past week. I know you're following me and I want to know why."

BRING! BRING!

The school bell rang indicating the next class was about to start. Percy growled in frustration again.

"We need to go to our next class" Rias said. Her face still betrayed nothing. "We'll talk again soon Perseus." Both women then turned away and left to their last class. Percy looked at them a moment longer before leaving to do the same.

(Line Break)

The moment school ended Percy immediately went outside in the hopes of locating the redhead and her sidekick. He sprinted from his second story classroom and into the athletic fields that were slowly starting to fill up with school athletes. Percy looked around and around for the two but he couldn't find them anywhere. He growled in frustration.

 _Those two know something! I just know it!_

"Percy?" the voice of his step-father said from behind him. "What's wrong?"

Paul clearly heard his growling and as Percy turned around to notice Paul he saw the concerned look once again on his face. He mentally slapped himself for letting his emotions get the better of him right then.

"I'm alright Paul" Percy said. He brought his hand up and brushed his hair to the side as was his habit when nervous. "It's just been a long day."

Then he saw a golden opportunity. "Actually, have you seen two girls. Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima? Rias has dark red hair and Akeno has these violet colored eyes."

Paul's face morphed into one of deep thought for a minute. He brought his hand to his face and rubbed his bare chin before snapping his fingers and giving a light "Ahh".

"Rias Gremory and Akeno Himejima you say? I think I overheard one of the other teachers talking about them. Good students from what I hear. What do you want with them?" Paul asked.

Percy had to be careful now. He didn't want to reveal too much about his situation with the weird dream and these two potentially stalking him. If Paul thought they might be monsters Percy wasn't quite sure what his step-dad would do. Considering the last time, a monster attacked in school they both were in this situation part of Goode burned down he thought Paul might overreact just a bit.

"Umm… well I've come across them a couple of times now. I was hoping I could be their friend or something." He said quickly with a straight face. This solved two problems for Percy. First, it lightened the seriousness of Percy and the two's weird behavior in the eyes of Paul in the event something strange does happen later. Second, it helped support his efforts to try and make friends which would be good when his mom found out. He felt only a little guilty for having lied to him.

Paul however seemed to take Percy's words as something a little more. Percy could see a grin grow on the older man and Paul gave him a strong slap on the back before letting out a hearty chuckle.

"Or something huh? Haha yes that's good. I'm glad to see you moving on Percy. Your mother was worried you'd have more difficulty after everything with Annabeth. Unfortunately, I haven't seen those two though. Do you want to stick around and try and find them?"

Percy stared at his step-father for a moment. Somehow, having Paul interpret Percy's words as him trying to potentially date one of the two caught Percy a little off guard. But then again not really. In the past few months both his mom and Paul had made subtle hints that Percy should get back out into the dating pool now that he was single. Even knowing that he was in a semi-arranged marriage didn't prevent them from doing so. However, once they completed the move to Japan neither had brought the point up again, for which Percy was thankful. He'd grown a bit tired of trying to deflect his mom's insistence he find someone for himself.

Hearing those words now brought only a groan from Percy's lips and he shook his head. As much as he wanted to find those two and demand some answers he had to play things cool lest Paul notch up the suggestions about dating more.

"No, it's alright" Percy said shrugging his shoulders. "I was just hoping to make some more friends but I'll just talk to them another time. Come on, let's get out of here."

Paul gave Percy a wink and a smirk before turning and heading to the parking lot to drive home. By now, a lot of the other faculty members had already left the premise so there was no trouble in getting in and heading home.

No conversation was held between Percy and Paul on the ride home. Percy was still trying to remember that dream and Paul seemed content to just leave him be. Paul did have a big smirking grin on his face though. Percy thought it might be smug due to Paul thinking Percy was looking for someone to date.

 _Who were those three people though?_ He asked himself thinking about the dream. _I've never seen them before but I swear they seem familiar. And that woman, she felt a lot like dad._

The weirdest part of the dream that came back to him was the smiles from his uncle though. Hades and him didn't get along at all and from everything Percy remembered that didn't look to be changing anytime soon. The only reason his uncle might actually be smiling was that Percy had died and Hades was celebrating his death but Percy was standing right there in Japan so that didn't make sense either.

More thoughts like this plagued his mind until he got home. Paul pulled the car into the garage and Percy could already smell the scent of his mom's blue chocolate chip cookies wafting in the air.

"Mmmm" Paul said across from Percy at the driver's side door. "Smells like your mom baked some cookies for us."

Percy smiled at the thought of cookies. They were comfort food for the demigod and after a day like today he felt he could definitely go for some comfort food. He quickly walked around the car and into the house where he saw something he didn't expect.

His mom was in the kitchen making another batch of cookies. She already had two batches on the counter in a cooling rack. Sally was wearing a maternity dress with her plain white "mom's the best cook" apron Percy got her for Mother's Day two years ago and her brown hair was tied up in a bun. But that was all normal for him. The surprising part was Percy's younger cousin Nico sitting down in one of the kitchen chairs and happily munching on his mom's baked goods with his boyfriend, Will Solace, seated next to him doing the same.

"Nico? Will?" Percy said shocked.

"Percy" Nico responded monotone. Much like his father.

"Hey Percy!" Will said to the side. He had just brushed his hands over a napkin to wipe of the crumbs to which Percy's mom gave him a grateful look.

"What are you guys doing here?" he asked still stunned.

"Your mom invited me to visit and it's Will's school vacation so I thought we'd do some sightseeing." Nico said completely blank faced and without emotion or inflection. However, Will gave Nico a brief skeptical look before trying to school his features as well and that was how Percy knew that his cousin wasn't being truthful right then. Sally just beamed at the Italian demigod and gave him a sideways hug to which Nico reluctantly returned. He was still mostly uncomfortable with human contact. Percy never could figure out how Will got his cousin to agree to date him in the first place.

Paul came in behind Percy then and jumped slightly at seeing company before he grinned again.

"Nico! So good to see you!" Paul said genuinely. Then he turned his attention to Will. "And who is this if you don't mind me asking?"

"This is Will Solace, son of Apollo" Nico said. The demigod title caught Paul a bit by surprise but Percy just assumed that was because Paul could never be fully acclimated to the demigod lifestyle. Paul walked up to the two before extending his hand and shaking both of theirs.

"Well Will, it's nice to meet you. You came with Nico to visit Percy?"

Will nodded his head. "Yeah, things have been pretty quiet back at school and camp and since this was my school vacation Nico and I thought it might be nice to do some sightseeing around Japan. And to checkup on our fearless leader of course." If Nico said that Percy wouldn't have doubted the sarcasm that dripped from the tone but Will said it completely honestly. There wasn't a hint of vindictiveness or bitterness that Percy knew Nico sometimes had.

"Well we're glad you two are here" Sally said bringing out the next batch of cookies from the oven. "Percy why don't you show the two the guest rooms they can sleep in while their visiting?"

Percy nodded in agreement before grabbing a handful of cookies from the counter and waving them upstairs. Both followed behind, Nico as quietly as a shadow and Will as boisterous as a child playing in the sun.

 _Gods I guess opposites do attract_ he thought to himself. If Annabeth was the brains to his brawn then Will was definitely the sunshine to Nico's gloom.

When they reached the top Percy pointed out all the rooms.

"Nico, you have the middle room there with all the dark colors. Will you can stay in the room next to him with the tan walls. There pretty simple without much stuff but it should be cozy enough for you."

Nico raised an eyebrow at that. Will however smiled and took a blunt approached to Nico's unasked question.

"So, does it matter if we stay in the same room then?"

Percy sputtered on a piece of cookie in his mouth before looking at them. They were both 15 and in a relationship and seemed to care a lot about one another so who was Percy to deny them that. He didn't know how his mom would feel about it though. And while he suspected she would be completely ok with it, it was her house and until they checked he didn't want to assume too much.

"Umm… you have to check with my mom. I don't think they'll be a problem but unless she says it's ok then I wouldn't stay together. She might still say no though. Even after everything Annabeth and I went through she still wouldn't let us stay in the same bed."

"That's ok" Will said, "I don't think we can stay tonight anyways but I wanted to check for when we came back."

"You're not staying?" Percy asked frowning. He opened the door and led them both into his bedroom before whipping off his backpack and tossing it into the corner.

"No" Nico said "I needed to check on something."

"What?" Percy asked.

"This" Nico responded. He brought his hand up then and touched it to Percy's chest causing a wave of nausea to flood into Percy. Percy bent over double at the sickening feeling grasping his stomach like he was going to be sick. It lasted for a few minutes but when Percy recovered he stood up straight and glared at his cousin.

"What the Hades man! That shit hurts!"

Nico frowned. "That isn't good. Will I need you to run a checkup on his body."

"Whoa there!" Percy said holding his hands up in a forward position as if attempting to calm people. "What do you mean checkup? I'm perfectly fine."

"You're not fine Percy. What I just did shouldn't have affected you at all. The only other person who has acted that way was Leo."

"Leo? As in our annoying flame throwing Repair Boy Leo?"

Nico nodded his head in confirmation.

"But that doesn't make any sense. Leo and I have don't have much in common. Why would we react the same way?" Percy asked in frustration. This day was just getting worse and worse.

The demigod son of Hades pursed his lips. Percy could see he had more to say but when Nico only responded with a "let's run the checkup before we start speculating anything" Percy let it go for the moment.

"Lie down on your bed now Percy. This won't take long, just a few minutes. Standard checkup procedure and all. You know how it is" Will said with a disarming smile. His bedside manner was easily the best of anyone in camp and any doctor that Percy had visited in the mortal world either for that matter. Percy sighed but laid down anyway. Will was a good doctor but when he was completely in doctor mode there wasn't much anyone could do to stop him.

It was only a couple of minutes but as the checkup went on Percy was getting more and more fidgety. It happened when he got nervous and by the expression on Will's face Percy was definitely feeling nervous. Everything started out fine with Will smiling and joking and all the while methodically working on checking his reflexes and his pulse. But as he continued taking Percy's blood pressure and listening to his heart with his stethoscope Percy could see the bright cheerful smile slowly morph into one that was disconcerting. Will looked hesitant as he continued and Percy was completely worried when at the end of the check up Will started putting away his things without a smile or even addressing Percy.

"Uh… Will? What's going on?" Percy could hear a twinge of confusion in his voice. Will looked directly at Percy for a moment before turning and addressing Nico.

"He's completely healthy. All body functions are working completely normally. In some cases, even better than normal. And I mean by demigod standards. His heart is working better than it has in the last three checkups I've done and his reflexes are abnormally responsive, as has always been his case."

Percy let out a sigh of relief at that. "Thank the gods! Will! What the Hades man? You had me shitting bricks!"

Nico frowned more. "This doesn't make sense." He stated.

Percy was still smiling and breathing sighs of relief at being healthy when he addressed his cousin.

"What do you mean Nico? You just heard Will; I'm completely healthy, no problems here."

"Are you sure Will?" Nico asked turning back to his boyfriend. Will had finally finished packing up his medical supplies and nodded to him.

"Absolutely. He has a heartbeat and everything. The real questionable thing is that his heart is beating better than it has in a long while."

By this point, Percy was getting frustrated that the two boys were talking over Percy's head. He didn't need to be a part of every conversation but when people were talking about him while he was standing right next to them then that tended to piss him off. He let out another growl, _I'm doing that a lot today,_ and felt the same rumbling in his soul from his Sacred Gear as he'd felt before.

"Will somebody answer the damn question?!" he angrily shouted grabbing the two boys by the shoulders and forcing them to look at him. Will has the courtesy to look sheepish but Nico sent a small glare towards Percy for being touched. He really didn't like physical contact, especially when it wasn't instigated by himself.

Percy turned and look directly at Will. "You just said I'm healthy, as in healthier than I've been in a long time. Isn't that a good thing?"

"Percy that is a good thing. I'm glad you alive and healthy but you need to understand that the checkup I just ran shouldn't have been possible."

"Wha-?" Percy asked flabbergasted. "What do you mean? I mean I know the… Pit… weakened me a lot but I thought I'd be back to normal physically by now."

Will now adopted his doctor visage. It was something he had done at camp when explaining to other demigods how healing and the medical related stuff worked on them. Most campers, including Percy, didn't care too much because Nectar and Ambrosia healed most wounds.

"Well…" Will began slowly, "You're right to an extent. We've been expecting you to get back up to a certain standard after your… trip." It was pretty common for most demigods to brush past Percy's and Annabeth's journey into Tartarus. It wasn't a good topic and both of them still woke up to the occasional nightmare due to it. Will was even more reluctant than other demigods because he was with Nico who had also fallen into the Pit.

"And yes, you are now physically healed from all wounds from there" Will continued. "However, we still expected it to take longer. Both Nico and Annabeth are still recovering from the place and based on our estimates we don't expect a full recovery for at least a few more months. Hades, the last time I checked you out Percy you weren't even close to being better."

"I don't understand" Percy said completely confused. Something wasn't making sense and with the way both Nico and Will were acting Percy was getting worried again.

"Look Percy" Will began, "you need to understand that everything you've been through has put a lot of toll on your body. Let's think about it for a minute; your lungs absorbed a ridiculous amount of Sulphur and other acidic materials that tore up and weakened them. You should be struggling to breath constantly, even with the help of the Phlegethon River, your lungs should still have permanent scaring that will impact your breathing for the rest of your life. Both Annabeth and Nico already have this problem. Next, your skin hasn't been the same since New Rome or Tartarus. You used to have a golden tan complexion Percy but after walking through the Little Tiber to wash the Curse of Achilles away it's like your skin adopted a more reddish tinge. And when you came back from Tartarus? Percy, your and Annabeth's skin was so pale it was bordering on grey. Completely unhealthy."

Percy just stood there looking at Will rant about all the differences to Percy's body. He never truly paid too close attention to those kinds of things mainly because as time went on he was growing stronger anyway. He didn't really think that his level of fitness had undergone such drastic changes through his life though.

"And here's the real kicker" Will continued. "Your heart. Percy man, my gods your heart was one of the worst parts of you."

"My heart" Percy whispered completely shocked.

"Look, the Apollo cabin measures every campers' heartbeat at every checkup or when a medical emergency comes up. That's just standard operating procedure. I don't remember every single person's stats but you Percy are one of the few that every Apollo camper knows. Listen to this: when you first arrived at camp your resting heart rate was 97; standard for a twelve-year-old demigod. It was the same after you went and help Clarisse retrieve the Golden Fleece. Then you went on the quest to save Artemis. When we measured your heart rate again your resting heart rate fell way down to 52. Now if you were a professional athlete that wouldn't be a problem. However, for a demigod whose life is pretty much constantly in danger and training? The lowest your resting heart rate should have fallen was 70. Holding up the Sky for Artemis not only almost killed you but also severely damaged your heart. After bathing in the Styx and then washing it away in the Tiber, your rate fell even farther to 41. The worst though is what happened after you got back from Tartarus Percy. For a few months your heart rate never even returned to its resting position. It merely fluctuated in the target active heart rate range. Not only was your heart working over time but the acceptable range for maximum heart rate for a healthy 17-year-old is between 101 and 173 beats per minute. Your heart was at 187 beats per minute. The highest we saw you get was 217. Frankly Percy, you should have died just from that alone."

Percy stared at Will with wide eyes. Nico shuffled back and forth to the side but Percy fell back sitting on his bed in utter bewilderment.

"Why wasn't I told any of this?" he questioned.

Will gave him a sad look and bent at the knees to rest a hand on Percy's shoulder. "I'm sorry Percy, really. Chiron thought it best that you didn't know. Apparently, he's seen a few other similar cases before, though not quite to your extent, and said that you finding out would only make matters worse on your heart."

Percy nodded. He could see where Chiron was coming from. If Percy did know he wasn't sure how he'd act but he knew it would only add more stress to him. And if what Will was saying was true then that was the last thing his heart needed.

"But, I'm ok now?" Percy asked remembering Will's statement from before. Will had said that he was healthy again so there wasn't a problem now.

Will grimaced. "Yes, you've somehow made a miraculous recovery. And when I say miraculous I mean miraculous. There was pretty much nothing short of making you a god that was going to heal your heart. I checked with my dad and he was pretty adamant about that."

Then Percy smiled. Somehow, he was completely healed. How and why he was healed didn't make any sense but that didn't matter at the moment. According to Will he was in tiptop physical shape.

"It doesn't make any sense" Will added again.

Nico finally jumped in.

"There's only one answer. Percy, you died."

And then it was quiet. Any elation that Percy felt from before had evaporated. Will gave Nico a scolding look that seemed to say 'show some tact' but Nico just ignored it.

"Huh?" was Percy's response after finally processing what was said.

"You died Percy. You shouldn't be here."

"What do you mean I died?!" Percy shouted. It was loud but he didn't think his mom could hear from upstairs. Letting her know something like that would only make matters worse. Not that this was really any better.

"I mean" Nico answered, "that you, Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, died at 6:23 pm yesterday. Thanatos escorted your soul to Charon at DOA himself."

If Percy wasn't already sitting he would have collapsed against his bed at that.

"I'm right here though. Flesh and bone and everything. Will just gave me a checkup and confirmed that I'm healthier than I've been in years for Olympus's sake."

"And that's why it doesn't make sense" Will added. "Percy, as I've already said, there is absolutely no way that your body should have ever reached this healthy condition. You've had too much happen to you. Something had to come in and force this change. I'm inclined to agree with Nico. You dying and then coming back to life could possibly be the only thing that reset your medical condition like this."

"But… I don't…" and then Percy started remember bits and pieces of his dream last night. That grey corridor he saw could easily be DOA studio. His uncle was the Lord of the Dead and Percy vividly remembered seeing him. He remembered being in the presence of three beings that he didn't recognize but Percy recalled how it was three people who were supposed to judge his soul. Everything Will and Nico were saying was starting to make more sense.

"Percy" Nico began then. He looked hesitant as if he knew something unpleasant. The young demigod was shuffling back and forth nervous before he drew a deep breath and looked right into Percy's eyes.

"My father told me that a soul escaped yesterday. He didn't order me to track it down or anything but he wouldn't tell me who it was either. He was furious Percy. Angrier then I've seen in all my life. He kept shouting about how he would make them regret what they had done and ordered Alecto to create more creative agonies in the Fields of Punishment. I didn't stick around much longer but when I went to the Judging Pavilion and asked the Judges on trial what happened they told me that a hero who had achieved paradise was robbed of his reward."

"Elysium?" Percy again whispered.

"The only reason I suspected it was you was only a few beings get my father worked up like you do and you're the only one I know who's outside of the camps right now. Everyone else is on school break."

Percy didn't know what to say. He had died and apparently been worthy of Elysium but something happened to prevent him from going. And now his uncle was probably looking for him to kill him. Again.

"I'm sorry Percy" Will said then. He looked sincere and Percy felt grateful for his kindness.

"Umm… there's more" Nico added. He was definitely uncomfortable now and his fidgeting was getting worse. ADHD really was a killer for demigods trying to hide something.

Percy chuckled. The bitter chuckle he still had. He doubted he'd ever lose it at this point. "What more could there be? I already died and was resurrected apparently. Can I turn into a Pegasus now too?"

Nico snorted. "You're already an ass, we don't need to add the horses head to complete that image."

Will gave a light laugh at the joke but Percy remained looking at his cousin.

"What is it Nico? Just spit it out."

His cousin took a deep sigh and nodded. Normally Nico would just say whatever it was that needed to be said but it was clearly a big deal if he cousin wasn't his normal blunt self. It made Percy even more nervous.

"It wasn't just Elysium Percy. The Judges said you got into the Isle of the Blest. It was your third life and you got Elysium each time before."

Silence reigned. Nobody said anything and by the shocked look on Will's face even he didn't know that detail from Nico previously. Nico still looked uncomfortable and Percy didn't exactly blame him. Telling someone that they died, earned the best of the best paradise, only to be brought back to life against his will isn't something he didn't envy him for.

It remained quiet for another minute. Percy's emotions were running through the gamut. First, he felt sad that he was brought back. His life was hard and he had fully accepted that when his time came he would embrace it. Then, he felt slightly happy. He wouldn't leave his mom and about to be born new baby sister. But that all turned to ash when he thought about missing out on the Isle of the Blest. That place was the true Utopia of Paradise. Anything that he could have wanted would have been given to him. He could visit all his friends anytime he wanted to enjoy his favorite barbeque all day long.

Anger replaced every emotion. He felt the tugging in his stomach urge him to use its power and he slowly gave into his rage. Nico and Will looked distinctly uncomfortable as the bright sunny skies darkened with angry black clouds. Percy fed into the hatred and loathing building and let it flow into his power as a river would into the sea. Outside the clouds began a light drizzle and flashes of lightning and thunder rang around town. It was truly a conjured-up storm. His eyes flashed with each strike of lightning and the swirling sea quality many women found entrancing were raging in a mini hurricane of green and blue iris.

Then he turned from both demigods and started walking out his room and down the stairs. His mother and step-father were gathered around the window looking outside at the weather and Sally was gently rubbing her stomach in worry. Upon hearing Percy's loud stomping down the stairs, they turned to observe their son and saw his rage.

"Percy" Sally said worriedly. "Percy, are you ok?"

"I'm going out" was all he said. He didn't slow down in the slightest and quickly approached the door.

"What's wrong?" Paul asked equally concerned.

"Nothing." Percy didn't want he anger and rage to affect his parents too much so he knew he had to get out of the house. The tugging in his stomach hadn't lessened in the slightest and now that he was actively feeding into it his powers were growing stronger. He needed to find something to kill and he prayed to every god who was listening that he'd find some monster to unleash upon.

"Where are you going?" his mother asked again. "It's about to rain. Come here and I can help." Sally had clearly identified the mood her son was in and wanted to help but Percy wasn't having it right then. Maybe if the circumstances were different he might consider but with a pregnant Sally he wouldn't risk his anger hurting her as was possible.

"I'll be back later. Don't wait up."

And then he opened the door and went outside into the start of a rainstorm.

(Line Break)

Percy had no destination in mind as he trekked outside, but he did have a goal. Find and kill any monster that he managed to attract with his scent. And now that he was consciously using his demigod abilities to feed into this storm he knew more monsters would come and find him.

It wasn't long when his first monster showed up. In fact it was a small horde of them. Percy had made the decision subconsciously to head to the park as there wouldn't be many people there, if any at all, especially in the rain. Because he went there he was surrounded by trees and bushes and it wasn't really surprising when the first thing that jumped at him was a small pack of Hellhounds.

Each of the offspring of Cerberus and Nyx were tall and muscular with clearly tensed body features showing off their strong legs and back. Drool and saliva flowed down their snouts and dripped off their sharp, yellow canine teeth. They were each about the size of grizzly bears with two of them reaching the size of Hannibal the Roman's elephant. The biggest of all though was the alpha. He was clearly the size of a garbage truck which put him on about the same size as Mrs. O'Leary, Percy's pet Hellhound. All seven of the beasts were the midnight black of their mother though they each had the burning red eyes of their father. The alpha had mixes of both red and grey blended in with his fur further differentiating him from his pack.

All seven monsters immediately started spreading out around Percy in a circle with the demigod in the center. They eyed him like he was dessert and their low growling indicated just how hungry they were. Percy just smiled at them.

Percy reached into his pocket and pulled out his trusty sword and addressed his prey. "You know, here I was minding my own business just walking in the rain and all of a sudden a pack of poodles wants to jump me. I got to say if you guys are trying to scare me you need to do a better job. Maybe add a bit more color to the all-black look. Look at the little pussycat over there?" he said pointing out the alpha. "He's at least got a sense of color coordination. The rest of you just look like suicidal emos."

All the hellhounds started growling even more at that. They clearly didn't like being insulted by him. He just laughed in reply.

"Now there you go" Percy continued. "Now you're playing my tune. But let's see if we can ramp it up a notch. Let me hear you sing boys." He taunted them.

The alpha let out a bestial roar at the jab and it was a clear sign to the pack to attack Percy freely. Rain still beat down on them and Percy's demigod senses and instincts were working overdrive. He found it surprisingly easy to see in the darkness but he mainly thought that was due to his father's blood and the storm raging around them all. The storm was further heightening his already furiously working senses.

Percy heard footsteps from the back-left side of him and in his periphery, he caught a glimpse of the monster to the right charging straight for him. Based on their quickness and the sound of their stomping Percy thought these were probably the two youngest of the pack and the elders were giving them a chance to prove themselves. Nothing like a fight to the death to see if you're worthy to join a monster pack after all.

Still smiling, Percy waited a moment before he rolled diagonally forward and to the left. His quick movement caught the hellhounds off guard and before they could halt they ended up crashing into each other and collapsing on the ground intertwined. Percy didn't hesitate. He swung Riptide downward and cut both beasts in half at the neck turning them into dust. One of the remaining hounds howled in pain before turning its piercing red eyes and growling in the most menacing way.

"Tsk Tsk" he again taunted. "And here I thought you pussycats might actually prove to give me a decent workout. Maybe mommy dearest would like a chance to avenge her little kittens?" he directed to the howling hellhound whom he'd guessed was the mother of the two he just slaughtered.

The water from the rain boosted Percy's muscles and reflex as if he had actually gotten into the ocean. He tensed his shoulders and knees in preparation for the charging mother but when three more joined her he knew they'd finally give him the outlet he was waiting for.

There was little to no coordination between the hellhounds. One would charge at Percy from the front to throw him off balance while another would try to sneak up on him from behind and tackle him to the ground. The other two would periodically try and swipe him from any direction they could in the meantime but because of the chaos of the fight neither was truly effective at this. Percy flowed back and forth between all four with the ease of an experienced demigod. For some other demigods four hellhounds might be too much but they were nothing to Percy, especially with his anger feeding into the storm which further fed into his powers.

Lightning surged in the background and Percy created bubbles of water in little pockets all around the battlefield. Puddles had started forming in the grass to the side of the sidewalks of the park and each step the hellhounds took splashed their paws in mud and grass clippings. Percy roared back at the monsters and thrust his hand forward igniting the use of the gathered water. Each of the bubbles around the monsters split into four sharp finger thin spears that gradually grew thicker and longer the further down the shaft they went. The demigod directed each spear of water to the legs and paws of the beasts and with each piercing of flesh a howl of pain erupted from them causing their whimpering and shrieking to grow louder.

Percy wasn't one to drag out his enemies' pain but Tartarus changes a man. He might have been physically healed from Tartarus' effects now that he was reborn but mentally he still carried the scars of everything he'd done there. He let his hate and feeling of his reward of peace in the Isle of the Blest being stolen from him increase how much water each spear held. It continuously expanded and the holes in the hellhounds legs grew larger with them. The howls continued to reflect their agony.

It didn't take long for the first Hellhound to burst into dust from the holes in his body. Percy had forced the water spears to grow till the size of his thigh and the end result was pure pain on the monster's behalf. The other three quickly joined their packmates in Tartarus shortly thereafter.

Percy hadn't even broken a sweat after everything. Normally, controlling that much water - let alone creating a storm that was slowing developing into a hurricane - tired Percy out immensely. But after the release of his Sacred Gear and being brought back to life he found it was fairly simple to just create the storms. The alpha Hellhound was watching Percy with distrustful eyes and still growled lowly. Now that the pack was gone and it was just him that would put him at a disadvantage even with his monstrous size. Percy stood still as the beast started slowly circling the demigod by his lonesome.

"Enjoying the view?" he asked the alpha. "Personally, I think my ass is a little too big by the ladies seem to like it. What do you think?" he said shaking his behind jokingly. The alpha roared loudly causing some cars lined up outside the park to shake and their car alarms to go off. "Yeah I got to agree with you. I should do a few more squats. After I send you back to join the rest of your pack of pussycats I'll get right on that."

That last taunt seemed to set off the alpha finally. He was only a quarter of the way around Percy so Percy watched the entire time as the Hellhound charged from the left side of him. The sheer size of the monster forced Percy to moved out of the beast's path but the good thing to such a huge monster meant that he had less mobility giving Percy the advantage. Percy definitely took that to heart and every time the hellhound approached Percy used his water enhanced agility to escape around the side of the alpha and attack with Riptide.

Unlike with the pack members, Percy wasn't playing around this time. The alpha might still be fairly easy for him to beat but Percy wasn't going to risk anything. He remembered how he had become distracted by Issei and that red circle the previous night finally which was why Percy hadn't accounted for that Fallen Angel's aim and resulted in his death in the first place. Now he was looking to take out his anger at those events and destroy any monster that came across his path.

Percy slashed and hacked at the Hellhound every time they got close and the whimpers the alpha was mumbling were indication enough to Percy that this monster was on its final leg. With one vicious cut along the neck of the hellhound it collapsed to the side a few steps away from Percy wiping its paws along the cut and looking at the demigod pleadingly. Percy looked at the beast not fooled in the slightest. Desperate time created for desperate monsters who would do anything for revenge so when the Hellhound realized it couldn't outsmart Percy it made one last lunge attempt to kill him. Sadly, for the beast, Percy already had his sword out and brought it directly in front of him letting the alpha impale himself on it. It burst into dust just like all the others.

As the monster disintegrated into golden particles Percy felt a heavy object fall onto his feet. When he looked down he saw the black and red and grey pelt of the alpha just lying there waiting for him to claim it. Most monsters didn't leave spoils of war but usually when they travelled in packs like those hellhounds did the alphas sometimes left something behind. At first Percy was just going to leave it there for someone to throw away but then he felt the rumbling in his soul again. He immediately reached out trying to make contact.

 _Hello? Anyone there?_ He asked.

 _ **Mmmm…**_ a voice finally responded. _**Treasure… yesssssss….**_

 _Huh? Hello? What about Treasure? Is there anyone there?_

 _ **Claim the Treasure as ourssss…. Yesss… we'll make a new collection of Treasuressss…**_

 _Who are you?_ Percy asked after a moment.

 _ **Sssoon hatchling. Soon. Collect Treasures**_.

 _Wait! Who are you! What treasure? The spoils of war? Why do you want them? What do you want with me?_ He rapid fired off the questions as quickly as he could. Unfortunately, the entity that seemed to be with him was no longer answering. It settled down into a content rumbling waiting for him. So, he bent down and picked up the pelt and tossed it over his shoulder before deciding to hunt more prey.

Percy looked up at the night sky then taking in a deep breath. The rain was slowly letting up now that Percy's anger was dissipating but Percy let the remaining droplets of rainwater wash down his face while he still could. He was still angry but he felt more controlled about it now. He would figure out what happened. And then he would kill whatever brought him back.

(Line Break)

It was completely dark outside now and not from the storm earlier. As Percy continued making his way through the thickly wooded park forest he came across more Greek monsters than he anticipated finding in Japan. A couple of cyclopes and a group of dracaenae were easily disposed of and Percy managed to kill a nest Stymphalian Birds before they could even take flight. None were strong enough to warrant a spoil of war but it made him feel better nonetheless. He was starting to make his way home when he felt the sensation of being watched again.

Previously, he had just observed his surroundings and looked for where he might be being watched but that was before. Tonight, was a night for confrontations and he was going to have one more before heading home.

"I know you're there" he spoke loudly. His voice echoed through the trees ringing off the water on the ground and the leaves of the bushes. "Come out already, I'm not in the mood for games tonight."

50 feet from where Percy stood a man stepped out of the shadows of the trees and looked directly at the demigod. He gave off an aura of some power so Percy could tell he wasn't just some random mortal but he didn't know what to make of this guy yet. A white dress shirt that was somehow still immaculate from mud and rain adorned his torso and a grey trench coat that was partially open rested on top of it. He wore a black fedora on his head with matching black gloves and black pants.

If Percy had to guess he'd say that this guy was somewhere in his 40s, older than both his mom and Paul for certain, though his hair lacked any grey follicles. He seemed to be just slightly shorter than Percy though he was definitely taller than the average Japanese male. His dark blue eyes blended in with the surrounding darkness and around his neck was a white ascot that was gently tucked into the trench coat.

"And here we thought you were dead. Raynare did say you were a skilled swordsman. You left a few scratches on her."

As the person was talking Percy caught glimpses of the surroundings. The sky had morphed into a weird purplish-blue color that seemed to enclose them into a dome that went for some distance. The gentle breeze that ran through the park after the storm was completely cut off leaving only dry air. All the trees gained a more pungent smell that brought out the scent of wilderness and reminded Percy of Artemis and her Hunters.

"At least you stand and fight. Unlike that disgrace of a worm you were trying to protect yesterday you are ready to engage in combat. That's good. I respect that. I cannot abide lower class beings."

The man slowly began walking forward to Percy then and spread out a pair of wide black wings from his back. Just like the woman from yesterday.

 _Damn! Another Fallen Angel._ He thought cursing his luck. He really needed to have words with Tyche.

"Well let's see here. It doesn't seem like any friends or your master are around. You don't show any signs of disappearing nor deploying any magic circles. I can only assume then that you're a stray. Is that correct?"

Percy gritted his teeth and growled as the man spoke. Any anger that was dissolving before was slowly coming back and Percy knew just want to take it out on.

"I don't serve any master. I'm my own person. I'm not running from you. You want a fight? Well dick come and get one."

"Definitely a stray then. Well if that's the case killing you again won't be a problem. Let's do this!" the fallen shouted as he took off into the air closing the distance between him and Percy. In his hand a glowing blue spear materialized and he surged forward lunging it towards Percy.

Fortunately, Percy had plenty of this kind of training at camp for opponents just such as this guy. They had practiced against Griffins and Stymphalian Birds but Percy also had the added benefit of training against Jason, a guy who could also literally fly. The fallen angel's spear wasn't much longer than Jason's Pila had been which meant the arsenal of attacks would be similar. That was proven exactly true when the angel rushed right in and thrusted the spear forward in an attempt to stab him right through the chest. Percy merely sidestepped and swung Riptide down knocking the angel completely off balance that he fell to the ground and lost the grip on his spear.

"Come on dick. I thought you said this was going to be easy for you? I have to say so far you are even less skilled than that other fallen angel was. What did you say her name was? Rainy Erin or something?"

The angel growled again before quickly grabbing his light spear and turning to thrust once more at Percy. It was a strong attack but completely obvious and Percy merely brushed the shaft of light away with the back of his hand while giving a nice slash along the angel's free arm with Riptide.

"Uggg" Percy said withdrawing his arm away from the spear after feeling a shock of pain from touching it. It reminded him a bit of Clarisse's spear Maimer that would strike people with lightning if they touched it. The fallen angel responded in kind to Percy's attack with Riptide.

"Hurts doesn't it" the angel taunted with a small laugh still on his knees. "Light is a deadly poison to your kind. It burns you from within and causes torturous amounts of pain."

"I've felt much worse than this" Percy retorted back. He didn't let his opponent get any chance for reprieve though and despite the slight numbing on his hand his pressed his attack. That clearly caught the angel off guard as he had to quickly roll away from Percy's attacks and create some distance. The angel used his wings to push against the ground allowing for a small breeze to help lift him into a standing position facing Percy. He had his spear in a defensive stance with taut muscles ready to attack or defend depending on what Percy did.

"You are a skilled fighter. Your instincts show you've done this before. Who are you anyway?"

"Don't you know it isn't polite to ask for someone's name without first giving your own? I would have thought you angels would have some manners at least." Percy snarkily replied.

"Your right of course. Let me introduce myself, an exchange of pleasantries before your death is the least I can do. My name is Doh -"

Before the angel could continue he was cut off by a giant tree branch being thrown towards him and colliding with his side knocking him over. Percy quickly turned in the direction the branch was thrown from and narrowed his eyes. There standing not 20 feet from him was Rias Gremory, her friend Akeno Himejima and that white-haired girl Percy met the other day in the locker room. The other two girls flanked Rias and the white-haired girl was brushing pieces of bark from her hands.

"Keep your hands off of him." Rias spoke authoritatively. She had her hands resting on her hips and was frowning in the direction of the fallen angel while occasionally shooting Percy worried glances. Her eyes rested on his sword flashing in some sort of recognition before turning back towards the angel.

"You don't belong here" the angel said now completely standing after pushing off the branch. It was a pretty large branch and Percy raised an eyebrow at the white-haired girl. "I'll teach you to not to meddle where you aren't wanted you bitch!" The angel then drew back his arm and threw the spear directly towards where Rias was standing. On instinct Percy lifted his free hand and created a barrier of water between Rias and the oncoming spear but before he got it in place Rias created some kind of dark matter in her hands and launched it at the spear in retaliation. The spear shattered into tiny little particles upon contact with the dark power.

"Enough games!" the angel shouted. Percy noticed that he had grown extremely angry and without thinking charged at the trio of girls. Before Percy could even think of acting a circle of light appeared in the sky in the path the angel was taking and the girl Percy recognized as Akeno lifted her hand up signaling for something. Percy didn't have to wait long to figure out what it was as the next moment a strike of lightning that was pretty close in power level to Thalia screeched down from the circle and striking just in from of the angel. The blast was powerful, knocking the angel backwards and kicking up settled dust that wasn't weighed down from the earlier rain.

Akeno looked extremely pleased with herself and Percy could admit that her smile definitely scared him a bit. It was the sadistic kind of smile Thalia or Artemis had after causing someone deserving of pain. The angel was on his knees breathing heavily with blood still streaking down his arm from Percy's earlier sword slash.

"That hair. You're from the house of Gremory!" the angel spoke. He had a slightly condescendingly way of speaking though there was a touch of respect in his tone.

"My name's Rias Gremory and who are you? Other than a fallen angel that is."

"See!" Percy said garnering everyone's attention. "She has some manners." Akeno lightly chuckled at his interruption and the white-haired girl rolled her eyes.

"I tried saying before stray" the angel said back. "We were… interrupted" he looked scathingly at the white-haired girl then. Shifting his focus to look at Rias, he continued "It seems this town is under control from the next head of the great Gremory family. Why are you interfering with a matter of a stray? He confirms he has no master. You should be thanking me for doing your dirty work."

"I have not had a chance to speak to him properly yet" Rias responded coldly. "He is a member of my household. If you bring any harm to him you will get no mercy from me." She was looking back and forth between Percy and the angel and giving the latter an impassive look though occasionally narrowing her eyes scolding.

Nobody spoke for a minute with the angel looking resolutely at Rias. Percy wasn't sure what was going to happen but he gripped Riptide tightly in his hand ready to attack either force if necessary. After the staring contest it seemed whatever unspoken words had passed and the angel picked up his fedora that had fallen and brushed the mud off of it before addressing everyone.

"It seems I was mistaken. My apologies Lady Gremory for the misunderstanding. Though it is unwise to let your servants run around loose like this. Next time he's out for a stroll he might run into someone less cordial than myself."

"I appreciate the friendly advice" Rias responded in kind. Both beings spoke with a polite demeanor but hinting with sinister undertones. Percy could tell both were not so subtly telling the other they'd kill the other if a situation like this happened again. And then Rias dropped the undertone and came right out saying it. "Bare in mind that if anything like this happens again I'll make you regret the day you crossed paths with the house of Gremory… my friend." Rias narrowed her blue eyes at that and the message was clear.

The angel didn't let that phase him though and said "No offense to you and your noble household but you should bare in mind that the same thing could be said to you." The angel brought his black wings back out and jumped into the air beginning to take flight. The trio of ladies stood watching the angel begin his ascension but Percy wasn't having it. The girls had interrupted his fight and he was determined to find out more about both this angel and the one who killed him yesterday. Not to mention he still didn't know this asshole's name.

Percy thrust his free hand out and pulled the water from the puddles all around them. Rias and Akeno looked at Percy with wide eyes at his display and the white-haired girl again rolled her eyes mumbling something about "showing off". Percy formed the water into the shape of a large hand and used his power to move it forward and grab around the angel. The angel clearly wasn't expecting the sudden attack and as Percy closed his water hand around the angel's wings the angel lost control of flight and started falling. Percy yanked him back down to the Earth and threw him into the ground causing him to grunt in pain.

"Hey asshole, you still didn't give us your name." The girls ran over to stand behind Percy though they kept a little distance.

"Ugh" the angel said after a moment. He shook his head and tried to stretch his arms but the blood from his earlier cut left him wincing. "My name is Dohnaseek. I had hoped to avoid crossing paths for some time but it seems you want a fight little stray."

"Percy" Rias spoke from behind him. "You need to let him go. I'll explain everything in a minute but you need to let him leave for now." She tried to step forward to touch his should but Percy moved out of range letting her arm fall. She looked slightly hurt for a moment before schooling her features to remain stoic.

"Just like you did earlier? You still want to pretend like you aren't following me?" Percy was angry and didn't trust any of these people. He knew Rias and Akeno were watching him around school and this angel had already admitted that he wanted to fight and kill Percy.

"I can explain everything Percy. Come with me and I'll answer your questions."

Percy hesitated a moment. The angel was starting to get to his feet and Rias and her group were looking at Percy pleadingly. He wanted answers but he also knew these girls might not be truthful either. He knew they were lying about following him so what was to say they wouldn't lie again. He debated back and forth in his head for a few seconds more before nodding in Rias' direction.

"Alright, let's talk" he said. They let out a small sigh of relief at his answer. Percy indicated he'd follow and the white-haired girl and Akeno turned around to create some space between them and the angel. Rias stood looking at Percy with her hand outstretched waiting to pull him along. "But first…" Percy continued.

Before the girls or the angel could even react, Percy brought his free hand up and closed it in a fist. Water that was pooled around their feet immediately reacted and closed in around the angel forcing his wings closed so he couldn't take flight. The look of panic on both the angel's and Rias' face were somewhat humorous but Percy didn't laugh. Instead he spun on his heels bringing Riptide across his body in a slashing motion.

It was a quick attack, one that Percy had perfected in his years at Camp. Percy knew he didn't have the strength to completely cut through a person's head so he trained his body to slash just deep enough to reach the spine and severe all the arteries and a person's esophagus at their neck. The result was almost instantaneous as blood would gush out of the person and kill them in a matter of seconds. To most monsters it was an almost painless death. Percy only hoped the same could be said of angels.

Blood did indeed gush out of the angel and it seeped down into his trench coat and Percy's grip of water encapsulating him. When Percy went down to check for a pulse the angel burst into dark particles and vanished into thin air. It was similar to how a monster would die but whereas the monster left golden dust the angel left absolutely nothing behind but some feathers. Rias and the girls looked at Percy shocked though now wary. Akeno and the white-haired girl seemed apprehensive though Rias was clearly now somewhat upset.

"Alright girls" Percy said turning to give them his full attention. He let the water around them all fall down but he raised Riptide up in a defense position. "Let's have that conversation now."

 **A/N**

 **So before I begin I want to say thank you to every single person that reviewed or PMed me. I don't care what the message was because frankly I thought they were all great. You gave me detail for why you did or didn't like something and supported those views. That's the definition of constructive criticism and I want you all to know that I read every review/message and I appreciated it. Some ideas I'll definitely take into consideration moving forward though as you can tell by now I didn't go back and rewrite the previous chapter.**

 **Now to address some concerns:**

 **Hopefully this chapter helps shows a little bit for why it was necessary for Percy to die. Yes I wanted him to have a real tie to the Biblical factions aside from a marriage pact but I also wanted to bring up the idea that his "rebirth" actually healed and enhanced his demigod side. One thing that FF stories don't really address is the toll on Percy's body all his years of fighting has taken on him and I wanted to make mention of that here. Water and Ambrosia and Nectar help heal him but it doesn't remove all his scars or the more serious damage like holding up the sky did to him. Killing him allowed for me to make him a healthier and better character.** **For all intents and purposes Percy is now half god and his mortal side is replaced with reincarnated devil**. **I understand people were also upset about how he died. My main reasoning for that is two-fold. One, I wanted to create a somewhat stronger bond between Percy and Issei than just the peerage. Saving his life allows me to do that. Two, as I mentioned in this chapter Percy does get distracted in his fights in PJO canon and Chiron does mention that. Distractions kill demigods all the time. If his death felt anticlimactic than I succeeded. Sometimes it's the stupid shit that kills people.**

 **And how about Hades? He definitely has problems with the Devils in DxD and this was a perfect opportunity to play around with that. Hopefully you'll enjoy where that storyline goes as we progress.**

 **Aside from people saying Percy being resurrected as a devil is cliche (thats fair btw, I don't have any problems with you being upset by this) they've also complained about the number of pawns used (there was 5 used total on Percy, 3 on Issei). I went back over the manga in reference to the number of pieces used on a person and the details I read mainly deal with perceived power value of an individual. Rias felt Issei's power in canon but she didn't know what it was or to the degree so she mainly guessed. Same thing with Sona and Saji. I understand the inherent ranking of the pieces but just because Rias can guess someone's power doesn't make it accurate (which she'll find out). I wanted both Percy and Issei involved with the Peerage and as Percy does have his demigod powers that makes him better. I wasn't going to completely downgrade the boosted gear either. This says more about Rias than it does about either Percy or Issei really.**

 **The gods and Percy are definitely going to be upset by this development. I said there'd be issues between the two groups and this is but the first of a few.**

 **This chapter also hopefully sheds some more light onto Percy's sacred gear and the being sealed inside it. I said that it wasn't what people think and those who've read the manga a bit will probably be able to guess what and who it is. This is AU and frankly I think the entity sealed in the gear is a great match for Percy.**

 **Lastly, I have put up on my account when you can expect the next update. I will change that after I publish a new chapter each time though I may also have to change it periodically before the next publishing if something comes up. Check there to see when to expect the next update.**

 **Thanks again,**

 **Stormwreckin**


	12. Chapter 10: New Friends or Enemies?

Chapter 10: New Friends or Enemies?

The tension was thick around Percy and the girls and any passerby that managed to stumble through the park then would have felt it. With the death of the angel the sky returned back to its black overlay and the dark clouds still hung around the night sky partially blocking the moon's light. The breeze returned with a vengeance, as if making up for the few minutes it was absent, and rushed around the group whipping clothes and hair around their bodies. Water from the storm and that Percy generated from the air still coated the ground in large puddles around them and gave Percy a sense of safety despite not knowing the girl's full intentions. As long as he had water nearby he would be ok in defending himself. With the activation and acknowledgement from his sacred gear he found his control over water to be even more superior than his previous abilities.

Rias and Akeno and the white-haired girl were still looking at Percy and Percy glared right back at them. Akeno looked between Rias and Percy as if wondering what to do while the white-haired girl pulled out a small lollipop and plopped it in her mouth while folding her arms under her budding breasts. She turned her eyes away from Percy when he raised an eyebrow at her. Rias, on the other hand, looked like a combination of disappointed, upset, and yet proud at the same time. How on Olympus women even experienced that many emotions at once Percy would never know.

"So…" Percy began hesitantly, "are you going to elaborate finally or are we just going to stare longingly into each other's eyes?"

At that the white-haired girl rolled her eyes even harder, if that was possible, and turned to ignore him again. Her focus was directed solely at Rias as if looking for confirmation about what to do next. Akeno shifted her gaze downward and brought her hands up to cover up mouth letting loose a light, obviously fake, cough. It was dark out but when Percy focused on her he could see the fading of a light blush retreating from her cheeks. If the blush was difficult to notice though the smile that adorned her lips was pretty obvious even with her hands trying to cover it. Rias had the oddest reaction of all though. Percy had said that mainly to kickstart the conversation but also to induce a bit of anger out of them. He was still pissed at them for the past few weeks and he felt like a few well place taunts and sarcastic statements were well worth it. Instead of her getting angry or even flustered though, she let out a laugh as if the idea itself was utterly ridiculous. Percy felt himself involuntarily scowl.

"Yes, I will explain things a bit further now" she said. "Akeno, make a portal to the club's headquarters."

"Yes President" Akeno responded while keeping her head down and turning away.

"Hey wai-" Percy tried saying but Akeno had raised her hands directly in front of her and closed her eyes in concentration. He stopped whatever he was going to say when a dark red circle with strange markings formed out of nowhere and rested itself on the ground. Akeno and the other girl strode over towards it and rested in the center and Rias began after them. Percy looked on at the site with wide eyes.

"What the Hades is that?" he asked himself. It seemed Rias heard him though and turned to address him once she made her way into the circle.

"Hell" she said.

"What?" Percy asked in confusion.

"It's what the Hell, not 'what the Hades.' I don't know where you heard that but it'd be better if you got the saying correct now."

Percy looked at her for a moment before letting out some chuckles. His mind flashed back to his first summer at Camp where Annabeth corrected him and informed him that the saying should actually be 'what the Hades'.

"Come along Perseus" Rias said authoritatively. Percy bristled at the use of his first name.

"Oh sure, let me just join three girls I don't know in a weird circle that does gods' know what. Yeah that's definitely not gonna happen" he said in response. He eyed the circle warily with Riptide still raised in front of him. The girls again looked unsure and Rias tried hard to maintain an easygoing demeanor.

"I can tell you what's going on if you just join us in -" Rias was cut off from more talking by Percy interrupting her.

"No." he said with a commanding voice. It was something he rarely ever used as he didn't like people thinking he was too bossy or anything like that. The only times his voice was ever hard and forceful like it was then was during the wars and completing missions and quests for the camps. "We're going to have this conversation right here, right now." He raised Riptide a little higher to indicate he didn't trust them and until he did he considered them a potential threat.

It was silent in the park after that with only a soft breeze now blowing and rustling the trees. Nobody moved or spoke but after a few seconds of stalemate between everyone Rias stepped forth out of the circle and stood only a few feet in front of Percy with a calculating gleam in her eyes. Percy wanted to shuffle back and forth between her gaze but he knew that if he did whatever edge he might have gained over her would evaporate like water in a boiling pot. So, instead he stood firm and met her gaze with one analyzing of his own.

Rias still stood in the school uniform of Kuoh Academy. Why she didn't change her attire Percy didn't know but maybe it offered a bit of flexibility he didn't know about. With her long legs free she could certainly move about with ease and the long-sleeved shirt would keep any chill away from the night air. The weakness with the outfit was the cape and corset Percy thought to himself. Those would restrict upper body movement and he couldn't imagine the corset didn't restrict breathing at least a little bit. It did show off her attractive bust and midsection though and Percy knew he'd have to focus on other parts of her to not get easily distracted by them. Damn his ADHD sometimes.

"Akeno," Rias began, "take Koneko back to the clubhouse and head on home for the night. I'll inform Perseus all he needs to know and we'll meet up tomorrow."

"But President" Akeno said in argument. Percy could easily tell the girls were close though Rias obviously was the leader of their little group.

"It's alright Akeno" Rias said cutting her off. Her eyes lightened up at her friend's concern and Percy made a mental note to remember that. "I'll see to Percy's wounds and get some sleep. We will talk tomorrow." She said that last part with a bit more authority indicating she wasn't willing to hear further complaint from the black-haired girl. It wasn't said harshly though and Akeno merely nodded her head before vanishing her and the now named Koneko in a flash of light. Percy slightly averted his eyes in reflex due to his godly family having the habit of accidentally killing people with their teleporting light.

"You shouldn't have dismissed your friend like that" Percy said after the other girls disappeared. Him and Rias were now looking directly at one another again and Percy felt a gentle tingle in his body when he met her clear blue eyes. "She just cares for you and wanted you safe. And considering I have a sword pointed directly at you right now that's not an unreasonable desire."

"I'm not worried" Rias said after he finished. She spoke with confidence though when she looked at his blade Percy saw a quick flicker of hesitation before dawning a calm and collected visage. "You won't harm me and I can help heal your wounds."

"I'm fine" Percy said stubbornly but when Rias raised an eyebrow and tried to speak he continued. "Seriously, I don't have a scratch on me." And it was the truth. Any wounds he might have obtained from the monsters from earlier and the angel were quickly sealed up by the water nearby though the wound on his hand still hurt a bit and was taking longer to heal than normal. It was still getting better but it didn't heal nearly as quick as he other wounds.

"That is remarkable" Rias said quietly looking him up and down. The few cuts in his clothes from the encounters with the monsters showed off his healed skin with white scars replacing his open wounds. His hand was still red and throbbing from the light spear but otherwise he really was fine.

"Who are you?" he asked as she was observing him.

"Weren't you the one who was complaining about manners earlier" she said teasingly back. The smile on her face relayed the ease she now felt though Percy wasn't sure why. He certainly didn't feel at ease in her company. He growled at both her and himself for walking right into that.

"You already know who I am" he said. "I'm _Percy_ Jackson, the new American exchange student. Now who are you? Or better yet, what are you?" He added emphasis on his first name to hint to her he didn't appreciate her calling him Perseus.

Rias' smile grew larger at his growl and moved to sit on a nearby bench forcing Percy to follow her.

"I'm Rias Gremory, as you already know, and I'm a devil."

If she thought her revelation was going to shock Percy it didn't work. If he hadn't heard what the fallen angel had said earlier he already knew about the factions a little bit from the Olympians. Percy just continued looking at her waiting for her to elaborate. Her smile never wavered looking up at him from her seat.

"Ok" he said when she didn't say anything else. "So why are you here then?" At that her smile did disappear from her face. She adopted a serious look that Percy couldn't help but think was just as attractive as when she was smiling.

"I felt the danger you were experiencing and gathered both Akeno and Koneko to come help you. Though," she said looking down at the feathers on the ground, "it seems you might not have needed it." She looked inquisitively at him obviously waiting on him to explain how he did what he did but Percy wasn't going to tell her his powers. The element of surprise was too important to give up and though she might have seen some of his tricks he still had a few others up his sleeve.

"What do you mean you knew about the danger?" he asked back. He could see she was disappointed at him not elaborating but Percy didn't care then.

 _If she could tell I was in a fight with the fallen angel why didn't she know about my fights with the monsters?_ He asked himself.

"When one of my household is in danger I can sense that and come to their aid. I could tell you were in a fight with someone and came as soon as I could."

Percy was quiet for a minute taking that in. Riptide had dropped in his arm resting at his side as he contemplated her words now and what she said to that angel guy a few minutes ago. He had mentioned something similar though he also used words Percy didn't recognize. Something about masters and strays and with each new word Percy was becoming more and more anxious slowly starting to put pieces together.

"What do you mean household? I'm a Jackson and considering how friendly you two were to each other I doubt the other guy was a part of your household either."

Rias again smiled at him and began elaborating. "I am a member of the Gremory household, a high-class devil family. My father is the head of the family and I'm the next in line as the fallen angel mentioned." She looked a bit uncomfortable saying that but quickly returned to a smile. "My job around here is to keep an eye out around this town and eliminate any potential problems the other devils might have for me." She pivoted the conversation slightly and Percy noticed but he thought he might get more answers out of her if he let her dictate how the conversation was going. At least for now.

"The angel douche mentioned something about masters and strays. What the Hades was he talking about?" Percy said remembering the words. His ADHD quickly moved his thoughts from households to strays without getting an answer to his previous question though it lurked in the back of his mind to follow up with.

"You see," Rias began, "Devils have servants that help them do their bidding. These servants are part of their household, as I mentioned about a moment ago, and obey their master. When a servant of a devil breaks away from his or her master they become what is known as a stray and are dangerous. They are usually alright initially but if they start growing more and more hungry for power they can develop into monster like beings though the timing for that depends on the devil. Other devils need to go and eliminate the strays as they become reckless and cause problems humans eventually take notice of.

"There are also the angels and fallen angels, a couple of whom you've met already. They want nothing more than to serve God's will. Fallen angels have committed some kind of sin that expelled them from Heaven though they still desire to serve god. They often lead humans astray like devils do but oftentimes they try to make up for their sins by attacking devils in the hopes of earning God's forgiveness. I've never heard of one obtaining forgiveness though."

"Ok so that explains why the fallen angel dude attacked you but why did he attack me?" Percy asked worriedly. He got a bad feeling in his stomach and had a guess that explained quite a bit about what had happened to him recently. He normally would have prayed to his father he was wrong but considering what might happen if it was true he genuinely was scared what the reaction would be from the gods.

"The fallen one thought that you were a stray devil. I disabused him of that before you… got your point across I guess you could say." She pointed down to his sword still eyeing it cautiously.

Percy gulped though now he felt some of his earlier anger returning to him. "Why would he think that?"

"Well that's because you're my devil servant" she said now joyful pulling a complete 180 in attitude. It was almost like she was waiting for this moment. "And I'm your master. It's nice to really meet you Perseus Jackson. I have a feeling that we're going to get along great together."

It was silent again with Percy fully digesting what Rias said. The redhead was standing now and smiling at Percy with her blue eyes sparkling in happiness. Her arms were resting on the back of her hips and she was only a foot away from Percy now. His hands were slowly shaking though from sadness or anger or some other emotion he didn't fully know.

Deciding to give her the benefit of the doubt for the moment Percy asked in a quiet voice "and how on Earth did that happen?" He didn't want to lash out without getting more answers and things were only getting more and more complicated as she talked.

"Do you remember any of last night?" she asked him back.

Vague scenes of the Underworld were still fresh in his mind and Nico and Will told him straight out earlier that he had died and somehow come back to life. If all those events in Hades were real then all the events from before that must have been real too. He recalled the brief fight between himself and the other fallen angel that Dohnaseek had mentioned. And he remembered Issei being there and another figure standing over him before Thanatos took his soul away. With each moment coming back to him he could remember the other events more vividly.

Recognition started to flash in Percy's eyes but when he didn't speak Rias continued. "I can see that you're starting to remember. It was all real, love. Issei and the angel and you dying. When you and Issei pulled out the wish contract you invoked my presence. I came to your aid but it was too late to stop your death so I fulfilled your wish by bringing you back to life. And now you serve me" she added cheerfully. "I like the name Perseus, it's fitting for a hero. I'll let you keep it." She stepped even closer to him now and brushed her hand up his arm and chest in a teasing manner. Rias was clearly having a bit of fun at his expense but Percy's ADHD mind was already whirling with too many thoughts.

 _Oh, fuck me, this isn't good. The council will probably want to kill me now though that isn't new. I've basically backed myself into a corner by being forced into this devil group. And if what Nico said earlier was right Uncle Hades is beyond furious. What about mom and dad though? Mom will still love me but dad might agree with the council to kill me? Has anything like this even happened before?_

"It's going to be ok" Rias added with a small laugh. "I promise I'll take good care of you. As long as you listen and obey you'll do great as my servant. I might even let you get some prizes of your own."

That drew Percy back out of his thoughts. He could deal with the council when that time came but for now he needed to address the problem in front of him. And Rias' attitude about things definitely was pissing Percy off more. He normally liked to joke around and tease others too but he wasn't in the mood to joke about his death and forceful resurrection.

"What did you do?" Percy asked tightly. His voice was hard again and it cut right through Rias' soft laughs and good-natured teasing. She took a step back when she finally realized that he wasn't joking around with her.

"I saved your life." She said in her normal mature sounding voice. All signs of teasing left it and she again eyed him warily. "Death had claimed your soul and I brought you back to life. You will find that I am a good master and I'll treat your fairly." Rias looked at Percy expecting him to be grateful like all her other servants had been.

Percy actually chuckled at her then. "So, you brought me back to life, did you? Saved my soul?"

Rias nodded her head slowly growing confused at his question.

"Did you ever think that I didn't want my soul brought back to life?" he asked bitterly. His sea-green eyes flashed and swirled with power and relayed how angry he truly was. Even after taking out all the monsters and the angel at the end he still had some anger left in him. Maybe not as much for the person who did actually kill him but it wasn't an insignificant amount either.

"Maybe I was happy where I was. Ever thought of that? I distinctly recall saying the word 'No' when whoever tried to stand over me as I was dying mentioned saving me." Percy was walking towards Rias now with Riptide in his hand ready to strike her. Rias had a look of confusion on her face but she was slowly backing away from him when she noticed the sword being gripped tighter in his hands.

"I thought you had lost too much blood" Rias tried to justify. "You weren't in the right frame of mind to make that kind of statement so I chose to save you. And maybe eventually give you a chance to kill the woman who killed you." In her hand a dark red and black power had manifested itself and her black bat-like wings sprouted from her back. Percy knew the power would probably hurt him and he knew he couldn't let his anger rule him like it did earlier. Monsters were pretty single-minded focusing only on combat rather than other things making them fairly easy to beat depending on the monster. People on the other hand had minds of their own and that meant they could be very difficult opponents. And Percy suspected that Rias was a pretty difficult person to fight.

That wasn't to mention that her explanation for revenge against the one who did actually kill him wasn't appealing either. There were so many times in his life when he wished he could actually take revenge against the ones who hurt him or his loved ones. Hades for one for when he kidnapped his mother and tried blackmailing him into giving over the Master Bolt. Atlas for another for when he struck down and ended up killing Zoe Nightshade, his own daughter. But most beings he really wanted to get revenge against were immortal and he didn't have too many actions he could do to them without it eventually backfiring on him and they tried attacking or killing one of his other loved ones. But this was different. The angels didn't know anything about him and already thought him dead if the woman fallen one yesterday told everyone that. They wouldn't go after his family if he did try anything. And getting some revenge against the one who killed him would be satisfying if he was honest with himself. It was an offer that Percy found very wanting to accept. But he didn't need Rias and whatever group she had to do it.

Taking a deep breath to somewhat bring his anger under control he looked up at the sky and saw the clouds once again form a blanket completely covering the moon and its light. They were whirling around slowly just like his eyes were and deep-down Percy knew it was him who was control them.

"I'll admit that getting a chance to kill the bitch who killed me sounds good but we also have a problem here" he said still looking up at the dark rain clouds, "because I don't want to be a devil. In fact, I'd rather I was back in the Underworld. You have no idea the problems this situation is going to cause everyone." He brought his head down to look right at her frowning face. "Can you make me human again?"

"What kinds of problems are you talking about?" she asked back ignoring his question.

Percy didn't get his anger under control as much as he thought he did though because he yelled next. "NONE OF YOUR GODS DAMN BUSINESS KIND OF PROBLEMS. NOW CAN YOU TURN ME BACK INTO A HUMAN OR NOT?"

Rias was clearly taken back by the yelling but she regained her composure quickly. "No, I cannot. You are my servant now and a reincarnated devil. There is nothing I can do to reverse that process."

Percy growled. "Will you stop saying I'm your servant! I serve nobody but myself and my family and you definitely don't fit either requirement."

Rias had the audacity to smirk at him though the dark power still flowed in her hand. "I will not force you into anything but you are my servant. I already told you that I would treat you well. In time I think you'll find that you can be happy with us. My peerage is like a family and you are part of that now. I want you a part of that now." Her smirk had transformed into a genuine smile again by the end of her sentence.

"Treat me, well will you? Just like how you've been following me around and lying to me for the past two weeks. I knew there was something different about you but I didn't expect you to be like this." His anger was building up to a point he couldn't come back from and he would soon have to unleash it. Thunder rumbled in the distance again indicating the storm over their heads was going to unload once more. Rias briefly glanced up at the storm before looking guiltily at Percy. He was taken aback slightly by the sincere look but he wasn't going to give in because she had a cute pout.

"I'm sorry about following you around. You're right in that my peerage was watching you. Akeno saw you in the park last week and when she saw you defeat the Chimera-"

"Don't say their names when I'm around" Percy hissed to her.

She ignored that though and continued "- she brought it to my attention. I already told you that I was told to watch the happenings in this town and, well, a new guy showing up and defeating an ancient monster from Greek Mythology is something that draws one's attention."

Percy looked all around the forest again feeling eyes suddenly appear around them. His instincts were yelling for him to brace himself and his ADHD was working overdrive again trying to spot anything amiss. Something was coming. Something big. And Percy didn't like it one bit right then.

Rias had a concerned look on her face and she dropped the power in her hands while slowly making her way towards him. Percy saw her approaching but he was too busy observing their surroundings to really give it much more thought than she was approaching. Plus she already indicated that she viewed him as a member of her household and unless everyone was like the Olympians he doubted he needed to worry about her trying to kill or capture him.

"Percy?" she asked. "What's wrong? Why are you looking around everywhere?"

"There's something here with us" he said very quietly. She had made it only a few inches away from him then and she could easily hear him. "We need to move. I don't think its going to wait around much lon-"

And before Percy could even finish talking an enormous beast easily one and a half times Percy's size came running out of the forest charging right at Rias and Percy. Rias' eyes widened in shock at the emergence of the beast but Percy reacted quickly having been used to the sudden appearance of monsters over the years. This one though was still a bit of a surprise even to him. He grabbed Rias' hand and pulled her away from the beast creating some separation between the two.

Standing in front of the two devils was a creature only defeated in the lore's of mythology by Hercules himself. It's nine heads whipped around each other dripping poisonous saliva from their mouths and its black skin melded into the background somewhat hiding the monster. It's distinctive sickly yellow eyes shown brightly in the night and only the surrounding night lamps, one of which was already knocked down from the monster's entrance, silhouetted its figure.

"That's the -" Rias tried saying only to be cut off by Percy standing directly between her and the monster now.

"Don't say its name" he growled to her.

"But that's -" she tried again.

"I know what it is!" Percy said somewhat harshly to her. "If you have to say the name just say it's the Monster from Lake Lerna."

"It's the Hydra though!" Rias shouted getting the monsters attention. The Hydra let out a few serpentine hisses from four of it's mouths and splitting its attention between Percy and Rias. The middle head let out the loudest hiss and slowly the monster advanced towards them.

"Gods damnit" Percy said. "I already know that. You draw attention to both you and myself every time you say its name so stop it!"

With each step the beast took Percy stepped back and gently pushed Rias back as well. She still seemed shocked by the monster but slowly she was regaining her composure and Percy could feel her body growing tense with fighting anticipation rather than shock after a few moments.

"Alright look," Percy began, "you're really not my favorite person right now but despite that I don't want you to die. Devil or not this isn't some petty angel you can bully your way past. This is an ancient monster from Mythology that I know of exactly only one person who has defeated." He vaguely remembered Clarisse firing a cannonball at a Hydra back when him and Annabeth were trying to get to the Sea of Monsters but he didn't think she actually killed the monster nor was that Hydra anything like this one. It had less heads for one and its saliva and breath wasn't poisonous for another. Not to mention that this Hydra was easily bigger than the other. This was definitely _The_ Lernean Hydra from myth.

"This thing is after me" Percy continued on after a moment. Rias had stepped to the side and was now backing up directly in line with Percy's side now. Her hand had once again got that black red power thing that Percy was slowly getting used to seeing. "Form one of those little red circle things and get out of here. I'll deal with this." He spoke confidently even if he wasn't feeling anywhere near that right then.

"Absolutely not" Rias said determinedly. Percy eyed her out of the corner of his eye feeling slightly relieved she wasn't going to just abandoned him even if it was foolish of her.

Stopping in her walking, Rias drew herself up and fired a blast of the strange power at the Hydra. Percy watched in anticipation to see what the power would do and wasn't disappointed when it made contact with the monster. Where the blast connected with the legendary beast a burning scorch marred the skin of the Hydra causing its mouths to hiss in pain. The head that Rias' attack hit writhed back and forth in discomfort trying to wipe away the power's affects. Percy grinned when he saw that.

"Well alright then" he said smirking now at the monster. "Here's what we're going to do" he said addressing Rias. "I'll distract the monster a bit with my powers and then when its back is turned I'll go in and cut off it's head. Now here's where you come in. After I cut off the head you need to throw that power you have directly on the neck to prevent it from regrowing. And you have to do it fast otherwise we're only going to have bigger problems."

"What other kinds of problems" Rias asked warily.

"After I cut off its head two will grow back and take its place if you don't burn off the stump of its neck."  
Then Rias turned her head momentarily as the Hydra was trying to use another of its heads to wipe off the burning power of her attack. It was distracted giving the devil and demigod a moment with each other.

"Alright" she said after a moment. "You go and cut off the heads and I'll cauterize them off. But be quick. I don't like the thought of us doing this alone." She said that last part while looking slightly nervous at him. Percy could see the hesitation in her eyes and guessed that this was the first time anything of this caliber has attacked her. He gave her a friendly smirk trying to provide some assurance.

"Relax Red" he teased, "this isn't my first rodeo" he tried adding with a horrible fake southern US accent. And with that Percy charged.

If the Hydra was expecting Percy to come directly at it then Percy couldn't exactly tell but the Hydra didn't give off a look of surprise or expectation from the action. It merely just stood there waiting for what happened next and three of the heads on the right side looked on at the charging demigod with hunger in their eyes. The left side was still struggling to stop whatever Rias ended up doing to it but the right side was ready to fight.

When Percy was just a few feet from the monster he let out a roar of challenge that the Hydra returned back with a hiss of its own and pulled the water from the ground around them into a fist. He launched the water fist at the monster colliding it with the furthest right head knocking it into the second. The two heads were dazed and because the third and fourth heads were two far apart from the last head there was nothing they could do when Percy brought Riptide down in an arc that sliced through the furthest head. He sprinted past the monster turning as he did to not allow the monster from getting the jump on him and he saw a streak of the black power land on top of the already regrowing stump. Percy only had a second to admire how quickly the burning power sealed off the neck when the Hydra angrily hissed again and turned its attention to Rias.

The devil stood firm as the monster stared her down and her power glowed menacingly from her outstretched hands. She looked fierce as she faced down the Hydra and Percy could admit, if only to himself, that he thought she was more beautiful right then than almost anyone he'd ever met except for maybe Aphrodite or Calypso. But it was damn close. She flapped her wings and took off into the air as the monster approached and she was just beyond its reach when she fired another blast of power back on the left side to distract it some more.

Percy took advantage of the Hydra's distraction and charged back towards it. He quickly analyzed the situation and realized that if he did his next attack right he could get two of the heads in one go around and hopefully Rias would be able to get them both. It was risky but Percy could see Rias wasn't ready for this situation and if she wasn't careful something bad could happen. The Hydra was too caught up in trying to bite at a flying Rias that it didn't even notice Percy until he was already halfway to the second head slicing Riptide across its neck. The first head flopped uselessly to the ground and burst into gold dust and when the second head finally turned to see Percy it was already too late and he had cut through that one as well. Fortunately, Rias noticed what Percy had done and threw two blasts of power that just connected with the necks preventing anymore from growing back.

The Hydra was stomping its feet around then trying to squash Percy to prevent his escape but Rias kept its attention pretty well causing its slowly narrowing heads to divert its focus between the demigod and devil. The entire right side was still trying to chomp on the flying devil but the middle and last left head were focused on Percy standing only a few yards away. The middle head was immortal until all other heads had been slain and Percy remembered that it had a bad habit of spitting its poisonous saliva at its foes. It was observing the demigod through narrowly slit eyes waiting for him to move. The left head though was thrashing in anger trying to strike at Percy much like a snake would. It shot its head forward repeatedly with Percy rolling to the sides every time it got close.

Percy felt like it was de ja vu all over again with the Chimera and its snake head tail trying to attack him and Percy didn't want to grow tired from trying to avoid the attacks repeatedly again. That didn't also take into account the numerous monsters and the angel he already fought tonight to let off some steam. With the amount of power he was giving off it shouldn't have surprised him that eventually a legendary monster like the Hydra would pick up his scent and track him down. He didn't have anyone to blame about this situation than himself.

Growing tired of rolling around and letting the Hydra wear him down Percy waited patiently for the next strike from the head. Percy had arranged himself so that when it next struck out he only had to make a small step and bring his sword down. And that's exactly what happened. The last Hydra head on the left was also growing impatient of Percy and struck out without any kind of care about what could happen. Percy stepped to the side and brought Riptide down cutting clean through the neck. He rolled back out of the way from the hissing middle head and waited for Rias to burn through the neck. And waited. And waited. And waited.

He turned up to see the devil flying around the heads waiting for her chance but the right-side heads were now lashing out preventing her from making her way to the last left side head. Slowly, Percy could see that the neck of the left was growing back and two lumps were bubbling up around the neck showing off the about to emerge two heads. Percy growled realizing that he would have to fight them again. He hated that idea as it would only set them back so instead he ignored the slowly reforming heads and ran to the right side.

"Hey" he shouted to the Hydra. "Yeah you!" he said again after he got the attention of the last head. It had Rias' burning power on its neck in a couple of places and hissed towards Percy. "Why don't you try me on for size?" he taunted the monster. "The left side heads weren't any match for me but what about you. Unless you want to keep playing patty cake with the Princess up there? She does seem to be having a bit of fun after all." By this point Percy had managed to get the attention of two other heads as well and giving Rias and opportunity to burn the last of the left side. He heard the sizzling sound of burning flesh and gave a small smirk to the right side when they all hissed and realized he had successfully distracted them and Rias managed to clear off the left side before it could regrow. Percy would have let out a sigh of relief but he had more important matters to attend too.

"So, what do you say boys?" he asked mockingly. As one though the serpentine heads hissed out their displeasure with his comments and whipped the tail it had hidden behind its large midsection. It raised its narrow tail and waved it around for a moment before trying to bring it down on top of Percy. He jumped away again but this brought his down right in front of the middle head which struck out for the first time in the fight.

It would have been all over for Percy again if Rias didn't throw some black power and managed to collide with the middle head. Its fangs were exposed and forced into the ground cutting clean through the cement and getting momentarily stuck. It was just the kind of opportunity Percy needed though so he quickly sprung up and started running along the spine of the snake bringing Riptide forward to cut off the remaining heads.

Percy saw the surprise filter on Rias' face from his actions but this was their chance to get this fight over with. Realizing that as well, she started flinging her power wildly at the heads and forcing their attention on her rather than the encroaching demigod until it was too late. When each head finally registered the heavy object on its neck he had already swung his sword through the flesh and decapitated the monster. It was only a moment later that Rias finished the job and burned the last four heads. Her earlier attacks made cutting through the right side much easier than the left and each head burst into dust when they hit the ground.

Rias floated down from flying and was breathing somewhat heavily while Percy leaped off the spine of the monster and readied himself for the last head. The strongest head.

"You did well Percy" Rias said landing next to him. Her back was to the monster looking directly at the demigod but Percy tried stepping aside to finish off the beast.

"Not quite done yet" he said back. Rias looked at him strangely before she quickly turned around and saw the last head finally manage to lift its fangs from the ground before Percy could kill it. It let out one louder hissing roar and immediately turned around to face the devil and demigod duo.

"Fuck" Percy said, "I wasn't quick enough"

Rias hit his arm softly and muttered "Language" as if chastising a small child.

Finding themselves in the same places they were when the fight first broke out, Percy again raised an eyebrow and looked at her incredulously from the corner of his eye before chuckling at the ridiculousness of that statement.

"This last head is the toughest" he said to her. "It's not immortal anymore thank the gods but it has free mobility now. That's going to make things tougher for us."

"We'll get by" was all Rias said back. She eyed him funnily when he thanked the gods as if waiting for something bad to happen to him but when nothing did she looked like she wanted to ask something. Before she could though the Hydra slither-walked forward to reach them quickly.

"Split up" Rias shouted at him and took off into the sky with her wings. Percy sprinted to the side keeping the Hydra in his line of sight at all times though with how quickly the Hydra was now moving Percy knew he wouldn't be able to out run this thing. Instead he brought his hands forward and felt for his sacred gear watching as a large dragon hand covered his left arm once more. He was actively using his sacred gear now and Percy brought his hands in an upwards motion creating barriers of water behind himself that the Hydra was forced to crash though. Fortunately, the water from the earlier rain storm gave him easily accessible water but as the Hydra burst through each barrier it was becoming more and more poison like from the saliva in its mouth and breath. That made control even more difficult for Percy though not entirely impossible considering he'd controlled the Misery Goddess' poison down in Tartarus.

From above Rias was firing her power down at the Hydra but it was easily able to avoid all her blasts thanks to its snake-like body that enabled it to move easily. Both she and Percy quickly realized that she wouldn't be able to do much more from up here and with each power of destruction energy blast she sent out she found herself destroying the ground around Percy and the Hydra and further limiting Percy's field of mobility.

Percy cursed softly when he tripped over a chuck of cement rock that burst from the ground from Rias' latest attack and that allowed the Hydra to gain a few more feet on him. It was close now and it was firmly behind the demigod despite his best efforts to prevent that. In the corner of his eye he saw Rias land on the ground and take aim at the Hydra's last head and throw another ball of destruction at the Hydra. Based on its eerie black-red glow Percy thought it might be her strongest attack yet and was hoping that it would distract the monster long enough for him to finish the job.

Sadly, that was just wishful think though because when Percy turned his head behind him to get a quick glimpse of the monster he saw only a tail slithering away from him. Percy might not have the been the smartest person but it didn't take a genius to figure out that the Hydra had shifted its focus to the now grounded Rias. She still looked fiercely at the Hydra's eyes but Percy could also see a hint of fright at the oncoming monster. She tried to take flight again but it seemed the Hydra had finally learned its lesson and instead it shot some of its poisonous saliva directly above Rias preventing her from taking off. Percy found himself growling and quickly sprinted off towards the monster.

Rias was now throwing as many blasts of power at the Hydra as she could but Percy could see that she had become increasingly tired from using too much of her power. She had sweat visible on her forward and he could see her lovely bust heaving up and down trying to get breath. The Hydra was only a few feet from her now and Percy couldn't let his kill her even if she was a cause for most of his problems recently. So, he reached out with his dragon clawed hand and reached for any water surrounding the Hydra and Rias as he could and immediately used it to form a barrier. But this time it wasn't just some regular barrier of water like he used to slow down the Hydra as before. No, this time he needed something stronger, something thicker. As the barrier of water formed between the monster and his supposed devil master Percy felt a tug in his gut indicating his demigod powers but then he also felt another tug in his arm from his sacred gear. It was like a new ability was slowly revealing itself and though Percy didn't know what it was exactly he eagerly gave into it feeding it all it could. And then his water barrier started freezing over.

Initially, Percy was shocked by what he was seeing as no child of Poseidon, or any child of the sea for that matter, could create or manipulate ice. It was strictly a power of Khione, Boreas and any of their children. But here Percy was clearly manipulating the water and forming ice. It was growing thicker by the second and before Percy knew it he had formed a safe shield around Rias that was easily a foot and a half wide. The Hydra was already going to fast thinking it was finally going to get to kill its prey when it crashed directly into the ice wall. It let out a loud hiss again trying to get through the wall but when it realized that Percy had built the wall in a full 360 degrees around Rias it knew it couldn't get to her.

Rias stood in the shield looking in awe at Percy but Percy was focused solely on the Hydra. He was beyond tired at this point and despite his years of training trying to manipulate that ice took out most of his remaining energy reserves. He was tired and panting heavily though he stood up straight and firm against the Hydra.

"Don't you know it's rude to ignore your guests?" Percy tried for a last taunt. "I thought we were having so much fun together" he struggled to say through his deep breaths.

The Hydra struck out as fast as it could toward Percy then and he couldn't believe how much quicker the monster got. It was clearly using up the last of its energy too so this encounter was going to decide who walked away from this fight. Percy gripped Riptide in his right hand and brought up his dragon clawed blue armored left hand ready for one final clash.

It wasn't a moment later when the two finally reached each other. The Hydra lashed out with its head in a quick strike while Percy brought his dragon hand up in a sideways uppercut motion. He timed it perfectly fortunately and when his armored forearm hit the head the Hydra flew high upwards into the air and back towards the ice barrier. Unfortunately, Rias had climbed out of the barrier's top then and landed on the ground in front of the ice directly in the path of the falling Hydra. It hadn't reached her yet but Percy moved quickly nonetheless running for all he was worth.

As the Hydra was finally coming down towards the ground Percy jumped into the path between Rias and the monster and he felt some of the poisonous saliva touch his upper left shoulder where the armor didn't extend to. It burned as painfully as the Chimera's poison did all those years ago and Percy felt himself let out an involuntary moan not having the energy to scream at the pain. It wasn't in his bloodstream thank the gods but it was eating away at his flesh slowly but surely. They Hydra let out a hiss that sounded like a victorious shriek thinking it had finally gotten its prey. Percy wasn't having that however.

With nary a glance at Rias and just letting the pain of the poison saliva run its course, Percy stepped into the Hydra's body and swung Riptide upwards at the neck. The hiss of victory was short-lived from the Hydra as it was quickly cut off and the head fell harmlessly to the ground while the rest of its body vanished into gold dust. Percy collapsed on the ground breathing deeply and looking at his wound.

His clothes were cut up and scorched from all his fights tonight and the poison saliva was eating away at his shoulder having already eaten away at his shirt's shoulder covering. He needed medical attention immediately and was glad that he had remembered to pack some ambrosia before leaving though with the way this wound was going he'd need both ambrosia and nectar to heal properly. Without a second though, Percy ripped off his shirt and quickly started wiping off the remaining saliva from his shoulder blade in the hopes that would prevent the poison from spreading down his arm. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a piece of crushed ambrosia and started chewing down on it. Immediately he started feeling some of the effects of the godly food though it wasn't working quite like it should have. Normally, ambrosia would heal almost any wound a demigod obtained and with nectar helping that would guarantee they'd be back to normal in no time.

Now, however, he felt a mixture of things happening. He felt the healing effects of the ambrosia but he also felt something else like a burning sensation. He'd heard that mortals couldn't have any of the godly food and demigods who had too much also would burst into flames but he wondered where devils fell into the spectrum. For every burning sensation he felt he also experienced a healing element that seemed to offset the burning. In effect, it had caused his poisoned shoulder to heal at a much slower rate than it should be. When he talked to the council about his situation he promised himself he'd ask more about the effects.

"What was that bar?" Rias asked to Percy's side. He had completely forgotten she was there with his thoughts on the godly food. "What did you just eat?" Her tone was inquisitive and Percy knew he couldn't give her the answers she was looking for right then. Without the council's permission he didn't think it would be wise to reveal his true nature right then. Whatever his true nature was exactly anyway.

"Just some medicine to help stop the poison from spreading" he said quickly. He stood up then and put a hand on his knees realizing just how weak he truly felt. He felt foolish in trying to get all the monsters attentions to let off some steam though he couldn't help but still be a bit angry about his situation. He should have known he'd attract the attention of one of the legendary monsters, especially considering he fought the Chimera barely a week ago.

Rias eyed him skeptically though she didn't press the matter further, for which he was thankful. She was looking at his body and that was when Percy realized that without his shirt on he was revealing all his scars to her. She paid particular close attention to a spear sized hole scar on his left breast that had healed over. Percy felt himself blush at the attention and he tried walking away to get home. He needed sleep and Nectar and hopefully in the morning he'd be alright.

After taking only a few steps he felt his left arm, now completely back to its human self, being lifted up and thrown over Rias' shoulders. He looked over at her and she gave him a small smile though he could tell she was tired as well.

"Let me take you home" she said after a moment. "I'll form a magic circle and I can help with your wounds. Your shoulder doesn't look to be doing as well as it was a second ago." She added as an afterthought.

"No, I'm -" Percy started only to see that she was right. His shoulder was getting slowly worse despite the ambrosia he took. He cursed in his head not wanting to be slapped by Rias for his language and nodded his head in agreement with her. She beamed a giant smile at him and gently put his arm down before raising her own and letting another of those strange red circles form in front of them. She tried grabbing his shoulder again but before she could he took a step back and looked around.

"Wait" he said. He was trying to look around him before spotting what he was looking forward and making his way toward it. Rias raised an eyebrow at him but Percy didn't really care right then. He stumbled forward and reached down grabbing the decapitated head of the Hydra before turning and giving her his signature half-smirk. The blood of the Hydra had finally run out of it's head but Percy could still see poison saliva dripping from its fangs. Heracles had used the poison from the Hydra to kill many of his opponents. Percy thought this might be good to have too. If nothing else it could be a sacrifice. Plus, something in his soul just screamed to him that this was the right thing.

He was making his way back to Rias when another heavy breeze came whipping through the park forest. He luxuriated in the cool breeze for a moment and closed his eyes when a soft object collided with his face causing him to reach up in reflex and grabbing it. He could hear a gentle laugh escape from Rias who was obviously looking on and Percy couldn't help but smile at her too.

When he looked down at the object he saw a black feather resting in his hands. It was too large to be from any ordinary bird and the softness he felt initially turned rougher as he slid his hands down to the stem.

 _The Fallen Angel_ he thought to himself. _It must be from that guy._

He was going to just let it go and fade off into the night air but when he extended his arm to release the feather he found that his body was screaming for him not to. He felt the nudging from the other voice in his soul as if it was practically begging him not to. He looked down at the feather again and felt himself growing attached to the object. That was a stupid thought but at the same time he felt that it was becoming precious to him. Not like gold or jewels or other riches but a different kind of precious. The preciousness of a hard-fought fight, something he had truly earned through his hard work. This feather was like the Minotaur horn and the Chimera horns and now the Hydra head. It was as much as spoil of war as any that they are and he didn't want to let it go now. It was his treasure. The voice had grown a distinct feminine characteristic then and hummed along in agreement. He thought he heard a faint "mhmm treasures" from her voice though he still wasn't sure.

"Percy?" Rias asked getting his attention. She looked concernedly at him though and was eyeing the feather that was still in his hand. She didn't need to know what he thought about it though so he stuffed the feather inside his back jeans pocket, gave her another smirk, and then walked slowly back over to her. He eyed the red circle skeptically still but she had helped him fight the Hydra and done a damn good job so while he still didn't trust her he thought she earned the benefit of the doubt at a minimum. His initially anger towards her might have been slightly misplaced once he got to fight with her.

She rolled her eyes at him and grabbed his arm weaving hers through his elbows and stepped them both into her circle. Instinctively Percy again closed his eyes but when he opened them again he found himself standing directly in front of his door and Rias still holding onto his arms.

"Wow" he said surprised at how quick it was. It wasn't exactly as fast as when his teleported with the gods but it was still slightly faster than when he shadow traveled with Nico or Mrs. O'Leary.

"I know" Rias said with a hint of smugness. She was clearly proud of her abilities and after witnessing how well she fought tonight Percy didn't blame her. Though it never hurt to knock somebody down a peg or two occasionally.

"Humble much?" he said turning to her and reaching out for the door. He felt her hand run up and down his arm causing his still uncovered chest to visibly shiver and cause her to quietly laugh. She was teasing him again and he growled once more at how easy he fell for it.

As he opened the door he was immediately greeted by a sight he really didn't want to see right then. Standing in the doorway was his mother in all her pregnant glory looking at his shirtless body with wide eyes and a slightly gaping mouth. Before he could even fully get inside and before Rias could take a step in he was immediately grabbed by his mother and pushed into a kitchen table chair with a thermos in his hand and his mother hovering over him like a mother hen.

"Oh Percy" Sally said not realizing that Rias had walked into the room behind them. "Nico told me how angry you were. He wouldn't say why though before he left abruptly. And then with the storm and how hard it was raining… well Paul and I feared the worst. What happened baby? Please talk to me!" Sally was practically shoving the Nectar in the thermos down his throat and was fussing with his scars with a towel drenched in water. She didn't give the Hydra head casually sitting on her kitchen table a second thought caring only about her baby boy.

Percy felt a brief moment of guilt in upsetting his mother before he took the thermos away and pulled her into a comforting hug. He could feel tears from his mother's worry stream down his chest but he just held her as tightly as he could with her pregnant belly in the way. "It's ok mom, I'm ok. I'm sorry about earlier. I just got some bad news about camp and took it badly" he lied swiftly. His mother absolutely did not need to know that he died. "Everything is ok now though and I'm back. Just need to left off some steam is all." He tried giving his casual rebellious smirk he knew his mother hated but found endearing and it seemed to work as her tears trailed off.

Sally let out a sigh of relief at hearing that things were ok now and Percy felt himself release any tension that had formed with his mother's worry. Plus, the Nectar was finally starting to work and his shoulder was slowly healing up properly. The burning still accompanied the healing but that was a problem for another day. She pulled Percy into another hug and mumbled about how worried she was for him and he shouldn't do reckless things like that in the future.

Percy reassured his mother that something like that happening wasn't going to happen anytime soon and it was ok now. When he saw the bags under her eyes though he knew exactly how much stress he must have put her under. And considering just how far along in the pregnancy she was that was very bad. He felt guilty all over again.

"Come on mom, let's get you to bed. You look exhausted" he said smoothly. His mom nodded her head in agreement. "You get to bed too ok. You still have school in the morning and monster hunting isn't a good enough excuse for tardiness." She scolded lightly. Percy just laughed at her lighthearted humor.

As Sally made her way to her bedroom Rias stepped out of the shadows she was in and grabbed back a hold of Percy's arms. He jumped surprised she was still there but relaxed when he realized who it was.

"Your mother is beautiful" Rias said after watching Sally shut the door to her bedroom.

"She's the most amazing woman in the world" Percy said solemnly. When Rias turned and looked into his eyes he knew she could see how much his mother meant to him. Rias didn't' make any teasing comments about that and instead pulled Percy up the stairs to his bedroom. He reached down and grabbed the Hydra head following her slowly.

When the reached the top of the stairs Percy stopped while Rias continued on to the room in the back left. "How did you know that's where I sleep?" he asked feeling himself following for another trap somehow. Instead of responding though Rias raised an eyebrow and pointed at the starfish hanging on his door that said "Percy". He felt himself blush at the stupidity he just showed but Rias laughed again and pulled him into his room.

Percy felt really awkward when he stepped into the room and Rias shut the door. Sure, he'd been alone in a room with Annabeth before but that was at camp where they often snuck off to the Poseidon cabin after they defeated Kronos. Nothing more than some making out and the occasional petting occurred, not that Percy didn't want that to, but that was the extent of things. Whenever Annabeth visited their home Percy and her were never left alone in his bedroom because as his mom often said "I know exactly what goes on behind closed doors and I know all about that godly stamina you have". It was extraordinarily embarrassing for both Percy and Annabeth though he suspected that was the entire intention behind her comment. She did have the courtesy to say it was Paul wasn't around as well.

Now however, Rias had stepped right into his room and began observing it. She walked over to his small collection of books and he could see her furrow her brows when she saw the ones written in Greek. She observed the posters hanging on the walls and nodded her head as if it was exactly what she was expecting. She did raise another eyebrow though when she saw the Minotaur and Chimera Horns he'd placed in trophy cases hanging on a shelf of the wall. When she turned to look at him he shrugged his shoulders, winced in a bit a pain from the still poisoned shoulder, and walked towards to hang up the Hydra head on the shelf.

"What are the others?" she asked after Percy turned away from her and felt himself growing extremely drowsy.

"Just other treasures" he mumbled. "Spoils I mean" he corrected himself after realizing what he said. The voice in his soul hummed contentedly again.

"Treasures hmm?" Rias muttered just barely loud enough for him to hear. She was watching him with a curious expression as if she didn't know who he was but when he yawned loudly and started making his way to his bed.

"You can let yourself out alright." Percy said laying down in the bed. He didn't really want to walk her out after everything and he just kind of assumed she's create one of those circles that teleported her anywhere. They still had a lot to talk about, especially since he wasn't quite ready to forgive her for resurrecting him, but that could come in time. He'd tackle one problem at a time and she wasn't really one of them at the moment.

Percy kicked off his shoes and took off his pants and socks not even caring that she was right next to him at this point as he was just too tired. Too many fights and truths had finally caught up to him and now that the ambrosia and nectar were really working to heal his body he knew sleep was the best thing for him. He climbed into his queen size bed and got under the covers thinking she had already left. He had already drifted off to sleep when the second body got into bed with him and he never felt the strange sensation in his lower region and or the power massaging his injured shoulder.

(Line Break)

"Master wake up, won't you? Master wake up, won't you? Master wake up, won't you please?" The sound of Percy's alarm clock went off indicating it was time for the demigod to get up and go to school. Percy groaned and mumbled an only slightly disrespectful "fuck you Apollo" before hitting the top of the alarm clock turning it off.

"Percy! It's time to get up! I told you monster hunting wasn't an excuse for tardiness last night" he mother shouted up at him teasingly. He didn't respond back but stretched his arms and legs feeling completely back to normal. His pains from the fighting yesterday were completely gone and he felt well rested and refreshed.

When he brought his arms back to his body to push himself up and off the bed he felt them collide with something soft and tender. Percy immediately jumped back and off the bed pulling the covers with him reaching over on his desk to grab Riptide when he saw what was in the bed with him.

Laying down directly in front of him was a completely naked Rias Gremory who was also just starting to stretch and revealing her entire body for all to see. Or really just Percy at this particular moment. He was slightly mesmerized at watching her breasts jiggle up and down as she sat up on the bed. Thinking to turn aside to give her some privacy he dipped his head down only to come across what practically every man religiously dubbed "the promised land". In his full view he could see the contour and curves of her lower lips and wasn't surprised at all when he saw a light patch of hair that definitely matched the drapes. He was so caught up in his first look at a real female body that he never even registered his own growing package that was also now completely free from the boxers he went to bed with last night. He too was completely naked though how he got that way he had no idea.

"Good morning" Rias said seductively. Her smile was teasing and Percy looked away from her entirely feeling completely embarrassed by the situation. When he realized his member was sticking straight out in its full manliness he tried covering it up with his hands but pushing it down between his legs could only do so much. Rias laughed at his efforts and he felt his face grow hotter than it ever had before.

"Holy Hephaestus! Holy Zeus! Holy Hera! No not her!" he shouted out quickly before realizing that he really didn't want the attention of the goddess of marriage knocking on his door when he had a naked woman with him who was definitely not married to. He was trying to stand up and cover himself up from her but found that he couldn't really get up and put on some boxers without revealing himself to her again.

"Percy!" his mom shouted again this time from the top of the stairs. "It's time to get up. Are you alright? I thought I heard a cra-"

She was making her way towards his room and before Percy could even respond she had opened his door and walked in to a scene that no teenage boy ever wants to happen. Sally's eyes practically bulged out of her head when she saw a completely naked Rias Gremory sitting on the edge of his bed with legs crossed ladylike and her son sprawled out on his floor trying to cover up his obvious erection.

"Wha-" tried saying only to find that she was at a loss for words.

"Mom!" Percy shouted immediately standing up and grabbing the fallen blanket not caring that he was showing his erection off to the women before jumping on the bed with Rias and throwing it over their bodies. "It isn't what it looks like!" he tried weakly. In truth he had no idea was happened but if anyone walked into this situation there wouldn't be a doubt in their minds as to what exactly was happening.

"Hello Mrs. Blofis" Rias added with amusement at how uncomfortable Percy felt. "I'm Rias. I go to school with Percy."

"I… hello dear… you can… umm… you can call my Sally" she somehow managed to squeak out. Sally's eyes flashed back and forth between her son and Rias before settling down at Percy and giving him a glare he had seen only one other time in his entire life. For the first time ever, Percy actually felt truly scared of what his mother might do. When Sally spoke again it was with the sweet tone Percy had always known but it wasn't for him.

"Rias dear, would you please wait in the hallway for a minute? I need a moment to speak with my son. Please take the blanket with you to keep warm."

Rias just smiled at his predicament and grabbed the blanket that was covering both of them before stepping out into the hall and shutting the door behind her.

"Mom I swear -" Percy tried but he was cut off from the shouting from Sally.

"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME NOTHING HAPPENED YOUNG MAN!" she yelled. Her face was red from anger and Percy could swear he saw steam billowing out of her ears. If he looked hard enough he thought his mother had grown horns and felt fire coming out of her mouth with each passing word.

"I WASN'T BORN YESTERDAY! I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS THAT IF YOU WEREN'T SMART ENOUGH TO USE PROTECTION I WILL COME DOWN ON YOU WORSE THAN YOUR UNCLE EVER COULD!"

Percy gulped at the threat and started nodding his head vigorously in agreement with whatever she said.

"IT SEEMS WE NEED TO HAVE ANOTHER CHAT ABOUT GIRLS IN YOUR BEDROOM! I'LL BE SURE TO ADD THAT ON TOP OF THE BIRDS AND BEES CONVERSATION WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TONIGHT. AGAIN. BECAUSE APPARENTLY WE NEED TO DO THAT NOW!"

"Yes mom! Of course, mom! Whatever you say mom!" he added stepping back with each sentence as his mother loomed over him. He crashed on the bed feeling slightly grateful that his erection had finally gone down due to how scary his mom was acting.

"NOW GET READY FOR SCHOOL! IF PAUL IS LATE BECAUSE OF YOU THEY'LL BE NO BLUE COOKIES FOR THE MONTH!"

"No blue cookies?" Percy asked with a horrified expression on his face.

Sally, recognizing that the threat worked turned around, opened the door and started making her way downstairs. Before she descended though he could hear his mom say "Why don't you go and get ready for school now Rias dear? Make sure Percy is all ready and then come down and I'll whip you up a healthy breakfast."

Rias responded "Of course Mrs. Blofis. We'll be right down."

"It's Sally dear." Percy heard his mothers voice fading off down the stairs.

He sat stunned for a moment just looking at his open doorway sitting on his bed as naked as the day he was born when Rias stepped back into the doorway and gently shut the door behind her and letting the blanket covering her fall down to the ground. She was looking at Percy with a playful smirk on her face observing his exposed body again.

"Well you heard your mother." Rias said after a moment. "We need to get ready for school. Come on love, grab some clothes and hurry up." Percy, still stunned by what just happened, merely nodded his head and got off the bed, handed Rias her clothes that were sitting neatly folded in the corner before heading to the closet and grabbing his uniform. He didn't even really think about the fact that he was getting changed with an attractive woman instead worrying over the fact that he might not get any more blue cookies.

(Line Break)

"Have a good day honey" Sally said to Paul handing him a bagged lunch. Paul kissed her cheek before hopping in the car and turning on the engine.

"Have a great day too Rias dear" Sally then said cheerfully to the smiling redhead. Rias was still wearing her school uniform that showed off her assets and reached over to give Sally a warm peck on the cheek in gratitude.

"Thank you so much for everything Sally. Breakfast was amazing and this is all so great. I hope to see you again." Rias said in response. She then shuffled off and hopped into the back seat behind Paul.

Percy stepped up and gave a smile to his mother in the hopes that things were ok between them but when his mother held out her hand with a bagged lunch like Paul and Rias he knew it was going to take more work than that. "Here" Sally said in a disappointed tone. Then she turned around once Percy grabbed the lunch and went through the garage door. Before she shut it, she stopped one last time and said "I'll see you tonight for our discussion Perseus" and then slammed the door in his face. He quickly went over to the passenger side and hopped in the back with Rias.

As Paul was backing out of the drive and taking them to school he gave Percy a sly look before eyeing Rias momentarily while she was looking out the window and giving him the universal smirk and raised eyebrow every guy gives his friend as if nonverbally saying "mad props bro". Percy shook his head in disbelief while Paul turned back around and drove them to school.

It was a silent ride, which Percy was thankful for, and he just tapped his knees up and down to an unknown beat thanks to his ADHD. His mind wandered to last night and he felt awful about not knowing what exactly was happening. He was now a devil and still a demigod seeing as he could eat the ambrosia and nectar alright but there was something also happening with that. He had killed and angel and the Hydra with Rias' help and he was growing attached to his spoils of war in ways he hadn't experienced before. And to top it all off there may or may not have been a chance his lost his virginity too. To one of the hottest women he had ever met for that matter. That was embarrassing but not nearly as bad as his mom walking in on him with a naked Rias and assuming they were definitely "doing it". He could imagine Apollo and Hermes laughing at him now when they found out.

When Paul pulled up Rias thanked him immensely for the ride and pulled Percy outside to start making their way to class. All around him people stopped and stared at him walking with one of the Two Great Ladies of Kuoh Academy and he felt himself speed up to force Rias to pick up their pace. Instead though she smiled at him and slowed herself further and grabbed his arm in that teasing manner she had done more often than not the past day forcing him to walk with her leisurely.

"Don't worry about the attention" she said when Percy began looking around at everyone. Some had gaped openly and others sent him a nasty glare while he saw Katase and a few other girls give Rias a withering look.

After walking for a few more minutes the halls had finally gone back to normal and Rias spoke up again. "And to answer the question I know you've been dying to ask all morning the answer is no. We did not do it last night. I'm still a virgin."

Percy looked at her and felt himself let out a relieved laugh. He stopped them then and pulled her into a big hug and felt her breasts squeeze tightly to his broad chest. He felt he was a bit crazy at the fact he was grateful that he was still a virgin but all the same he really only felt better about the fact he knew they hadn't actually done anything.

Rias was stiff for a moment before she gave Percy a firm squeeze back and they pulled away. "You know, most men would probably be wailing about that fact" she said teasingly. Percy gave another hearty laugh at that.

"You're right. I'm an idiot sometimes I know but I'm just really glad about knowing what happened. Don't get me wrong you are a beautiful woman but we don't really know each other and I'm not that kind of guy." He said back.

She eyed him as if searching for the truth in his words before smiling genuinely at him and intertwining their elbows again and starting their walk back down the hall.

"So why were we both naked if we didn't do anything" Percy asked after a moment.

"Well I healed the rest of your wounds with my magic. It only works if we're undressed and besides I prefer sleeping in the nude." She said as if it a completely normal occurrence. Which if he was honest and she was telling the truth was a normal situation.

"Of course," he said, "I always feel better after healing with a naked woman around me." He gave a small laugh to indicate his joke though her smile towards him was understanding.

Just then the bell rang informing the students that school was about to start and they needed to make their way to class. Rias pulled her arm away from him and Percy felt a small pang at the disappearance though he knew he was acting irrationally.

 _Come on Percy_ he talked to himself trying to give a pep talk. _This chic resurrected you against your will and is claiming to be your devil master._ A small Apollo size figure popped on his shoulder on his mind whispering this into his ears. _You're angry at her, don't give in to the small things like that_.

Then, suddenly, also in his mind an equally small Hermes sized figure popped up on his other shoulder and began whispering in his other ear. _It's alright Perce,_ the Hermes figure says, _she's totally hot. It's alright to give into to a little action when the chic is as hot as that._

Apollo jumped back in. _True she is definitely hot, not as hot as me of course but definitely 10 out of 11 on the Aphrodite scale._

Hermes was nodding in agreement but Percy was confused. _10 out of 11?_ He asked the Apollo and Hermes sitting on his shoulders. _Don't you mean 9 out of 10?_ Both gods shook their heads no.

 _Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty and love_ ,Apollo began, _– and sex,_ Hermes added – _you can't beat her; so, she beats the normal scale. So rather than just say she's an 11 out of 10 we just altered the scale to be out of 11 with only Aphrodite scoring an 11. That way when we give our ladies a 10 they feel extra good about themselves._

 _It's gotten me laid quite a few times_ Hermes said.

Percy nodded along thinking about how that made sense. He was about to ask some more questions to the two gods in his mind when he was suddenly looking at Rias who was giving him a confused look. He had clearly spaced out thinking about that.

"I'll have somebody come and get you after school. You can meet all the others then." She gave his cheek a light pat before turning away.

Before she got far though Percy interrupted her. "Look I appreciate everything you've done for me Rias but I don't think that's a good idea. I don't know you and considering what's happened the past few days I think it would be best if we just have stay away from each other. I still don't exactly trust you guys."

She looked like she wanted to say something more but Percy cut her off by adding "Don't worry. If I'm starting to feel some monstrous urges I'll come and find you. It's all good." And then before she could say anything more Percy turned and sprinted off to his classes while the second bell rang. In his head he saw a miniature Hermes fork over a bunch of drachmas to the miniature Apollo.

(Line Break)

As the day went on Percy didn't feel a single sensation of being watched like he had the past few weeks. He smiled at the idea and just went through his normal daily routine. History was boring, especially considering it was Japanese history and he was American; Japanese language was about as tough as it usually was though he had to admit it was getting kind of interesting now that in the story they were reading the main character Genji had seduced his father's wife, the empress, and gotten her pregnant. He drew a parallel to the Queen of Olympus and although he didn't really like Hera all that much he'd be lying if he didn't want to cuckold the fuck out of his uncle. Paul had given him some good marks in the essay of Beowulf he was writing which helped improve his mood and in Chemistry class he had actually answer a question right about the chemical reaction about iron and sulphuric acids. In total today was shaping up to be a pretty good day after his embarrassing debacle at home in the morning.

When the bell finally rang to signal the end of the day Percy gathered his school supplies and shoved them in his backpack. While he was packing up he heard the distinct mutterings of the girls around him and he even heard a few squeak in surprise. He turned around to see what was causing the disturbance when he saw the blonde hair of Kiba Yuuto stride confidently into the room and begin looking around. Percy wasn't sure what that was all about but he finished packing his bag and started making his way to the door when he saw Issei Hyoudou standing in the doorway also looking for someone. Percy felt himself let out an involuntary growl at the sight of the pervert but he chose to ignore it and continued on his way.

As Percy got closer to the door both Issei and Kiba were standing next to each other and looking directly at him. He heard a few of the nearby girls yell about how Kiba needed to move aside otherwise he might catch Issei's perverseness and he smirked at the thought.

"Are you Percy?" Kiba asked Percy standing in his way. It was more of a statement than a question but Percy acted like it wasn't.

"No man. My name is Yukio. Percy's back there still" he threw his thumb in the corner where a few other guys were still packing up hoping it would work. Unfortunately, Issei knew him too well for anything else to happen.

"That's him Kiba." Issei said pointing right at him. Percy growled again at the finger not that far from him but held himself back from breaking it off. Though he was finding it surprising difficult to restrain himself for some reason. The voice in his soul wanted him to lash out at Issei for some reason.

Issei backed up from Percy's growl but Kiba put a hand on Percy's shoulder and gave him a smile and small laugh as if it was all a joke. "Don't worry about my friend Issei here" Kiba said. "With a little direction, we'll have him walking down a good path away from his perverse nature."

Percy raised an eyebrow to show exactly how much he thought that was possible. "Good luck with that man. You have your work cut out for you."

Kiba again laughed and pulled both Percy and Issei out into the now emptying halls. "Good one man." He said. "I was sent here to come grab you though. We have a meeting in the clubhouse and everyone's excited to meet you." He spoke cheerfully and had that same dimple-cheeked smile on his face as he said it as if it was already decided.

"What are you talking about?" Percy asked. "I'm not a part of any clubs. You must have got the wrong guy. Sorry for wasting your time."

"Your name's Percy Jackson, right? The American exchange student that started this year?" Kiba asked confused.

"Umm… Yeah" Percy said after a moment unsure about what was happening. He grabbed his pen in his pocket though just in case this guy was going to attack.

"Then you're exactly who I was sent to fetch. Come on, the President is waiting for us." Kiba said still smiling. It was actually starting to piss Percy off a bit. Issei hung around behind him with an eager look to his face also.

"President?" he asked confused. Then he remembered all the times the Akeno had mentioned that Rias was the President of their group and called her that.

They stepped outside into the bright sunny skies then and Percy turned to address them.

"Rias sent you?" he asked. Both Kiba and Issei nodded in confirmation and tried to pull him along to wherever they were headed. "There's been some mistake then guys. I'm not in Rias' little club. I told her this morning I wasn't joining. I'm assuming you guys are both members?" Both looked somewhat startled with the new information but Percy ploughed right on realizing that unless he ditched them things weren't going to go well.

"Look, I appreciate you guys coming to get me but I already told her no. I'm not interested and I've already got enough shit going on in my life right now. Just tell her I said thanks but no thanks. And then say I had to go home and deal with my mother screaming at me for… our incident this morning."

Issei perked his ears up at that. "Incident? What happened? Why was Rias as your house this morning?" He was getting heated with each question and Percy could feel the jealousy rolling off of him. He rolled his eyes at the Pervert.

"Nothing happened man. My step-dad just gave her a ride to school after she had breakfast with us. No big deal. Anyway, I got to go guys. I'll talk to you later." And then he turned and walked away. He saw the confused looks on both Kiba and Issei's faces but he didn't really care. He already told Rias this morning he was going to stay away from her so why on Olympus she thought he would join her little club of probably devils was beside him. It didn't really matter as he walked away but he did hear Kiba mention to Issei that Percy leaving wasn't going to go over well with the President. He shrugged his shoulders and moved on.

When he reached the parking lot he found his step-father's car still in his spot and looked around for him. Percy didn't see him anywhere but then he remembered his step-father mentioning at breakfast that he needed to stay at school late to grade some essays. He cursed his luck and started walking down the path home.

Fortunately, it was a beautiful day out and the birds were chirping their songs. Spring was in full swing now and Percy could smell the budding flowers everywhere he looked. The sidewalk was mostly empty of people but when he turned to the sides he could see children and teenagers playing in the open fields around school and the park up ahead. It wasn't going to be a long walk back to his house but he didn't quite feel like enduring another awkward sex talk with his mother right then and diverted himself into the nearby park again.

Despite the number of monsters, he's had to face in the park he still found it peaceful and relaxing. The trees weren't quite as towering in this part and their overlay didn't extend onto the path preventing the sun from reaching down. Percy could see some growing flowers off to the side and stepped up to them to observe the beauty of their blooming reds and golds. He laughed quietly and was thankful for having survived the past few days even if he was now a resurrected devil. He still worried about the council but right then he was grateful he could still observe the beauty the world had.

Without really looking, he immediately stood up after a few minutes and turned around to continue on his way when he suddenly bumped into someone. Percy barely felt anything but the figure he walked into must have gotten the full impact of his power as he heard a girly yell and saw a figure in a greyish blue nun outfit start mumbling.

"Oh, I'm such a klutz. I must have fallen down again after not watching where I was going."

The girl had fallen to the side and the clothes in the suitcase she was carrying were sprawled out everywhere. Percy quickly rushed to help pack everything back up again feeling extremely guilty for causing her to fall down like that.

"I'm so sorry." Percy said while repacking the suitcase. "I wasn't watching where I was going and I bumped into you. You are definitely not a klutz" he added jokingly.

When the girl turned around to look at him he felt his heart stop for a second as the white veil was slowly pulled forward off her head and her golden locks were revealed.

"Annabeth?" he asked gasping. Now he knew the fates were cursing him.

 **AN:**

 **Hey everyone, I'm back. Hope this chapter was enjoyable. I spent a long time deciding how I wanted that first real interaction between Percy and Rias to go and I ended up rewriting it about eight times. The first few times there was some major huge fight between them that I didn't like and then after that it was just Percy being way to submissive. I think I drew a happy medium here and I like the way it turned out. I also want to say here and now that Percy did not see Asia's eyes. I don't really think it's a surprise that the last character introduced is Asia so don't flip about about how Annabeth has Grey eyes and those are really different from Asia's green eyes.**

 **I'd like to hear some thoughts on how you guys think I'm portraying Rias' character so far. I'm obviously not RR or Ichiei so I won't be able to capture them as well. Every character is going to be a bit OOC. I'd appreciate hearing thoughts on that in reviews this time around.**

 **Also, I think I need to clarify this again because some people are still questioning it but in an overall sense we are going to be following the general story arcs of DxD. That means that this arc we're currently in is the joining the devils arc with Issei, Percy and eventually Asia; Next arc will be Riser and that whole deal; then we'll get to Kiba and his whole situation... etc. You get the idea. Things aren't going to happen the same as I think you're starting to see and the Olympians will start to make their presence known soon. You'll see a bit of council action next chapter.**

 **I want to also acknowledge that I have read everyone's review and PM. Sadly I wasn't able to respond to everyone and unfortunately moving forward this might continue. I will go and address everyone's PMs when I'm able so if I haven't responded to you yet don't worry. I'm just trying to find the time to get to it.**

 **Which leads to my last point. For those that don't know I have a full time job that takes up most of my time during the week. Sadly, because of the demand of my job that time can bleed into late nights and weekends meaning I have less time to write. I like to try and be consistent with my updates but it isn't always possible which is why I mentioned it will fluctuate in my author preface. I will be aiming for two weeks moving forward but be prepared for it to be three weeks. As I mentioned in the last chapter I will have the anticipated next update on my account that you can check if you're ever not sure. I will update that if something changes and I can't make my previously expected date so be sure to check that out.**

 **With that said, thanks everyone for reading. I look forward to reading more PMs and reviews. I hope everyone is enjoying so far.**

 **Thanks,**

 **Stormwreckin**


	13. Chapter 11: A Declaration

Chapter 11: A Declaration

Percy stood frozen in time as Annabeth removed the head garment she was wearing. He knew for a fact that both Athena and Aphrodite had pretty much expressly forbidden her from coming to Japan for his mission even if they hadn't exactly used the word forbidden. But then he worried the Olympians might actually have already thought him dead and sent Annabeth as his replacement. She was a finalist for the pact as well after all.

But then he started noticing small details about this girl that led him to believe that it wasn't actually Annabeth at all. For one thing, Annabeth would never be caught dead wearing a nun uniform, a habit he thought it was called. For another, now that he was getting a good look at this girl, Annabeth's hair was slightly curlier. This girl's hair was naturally straight and just a tad lighter blonde than Annabeth's was. And then came the more obvious signs.

Now that Percy had gathered all of her clothes and placed them into the suitcase, the girl had stood up and she was definitely shorter than his ex-girlfriend. By at least half a foot too. With the veil completely removed from her head the girl looked up at Percy and he could see directly into her eyes. Such beautiful green eyes. Where Percy had always been told his eyes were like the ever-changing sea and could vary between green and blue and grey this girl's eyes were as vibrant as a sparkling emerald jewel. They were nothing like the cold, calculating steely grey that reminded him of Annabeth. And while he also found himself loving to look deep into Annabeth's eyes he found that this girl's eyes were just as captivating.

"I'm so sorry" the girl spoke as if Percy hadn't muttered the same words seconds ago. "I was too busy watching the flowers and didn't see you."

She was shy and didn't meet Percy's eyes for very long but the blush that appeared on her cheek and neck told Percy that she was embarrassed by the situation. It was clearly Percy's fault though so he quickly rushed to comfort her.

"No, no. It was completely my fault. I just stood up and started walking without looking at my surroundings. I… eh… was watching the flowers too." Percy felt his own cheek flush at admitted to looking at flowers and he raised his arm to scratch the back of his neck letting out a light laugh. The girl looked back up at Percy's uncomfortableness and let out a polite laugh as well. They stared momentarily at each other before both looking away.

"Who is Annabeth?" the girl asked after a moment of awkwardness.

That thought brought Percy back to reality and he lowered his arm back to his side before letting out a deep sigh. He didn't really want to go into any details about his ex.

"She was just a girl I knew" was all he said. His tone had a hint of finality to it and he thought the girl would pick up on it but that didn't seem to happen as she asked another question.

"And I look like her?" she asked naively. Percy let out a like laugh at the innocence she displayed. He found it endearing.

"A little bit. She has blonde hair too though hers is probably a shade darker. I only caught a quick glimpse of you before I responded."

"Oh" was all the nun said back. She looked like she wanted to ask more but she hesitated and Percy thought she might have noticed his reluctance to continue on the topic. Instead after a moment she stuck a hand out and took her briefcase from Percy.

"So, are you new to Kuoh Town?" Percy asked not wanting the conversation to suddenly die down. He couldn't explain it but he felt an urge to protect this girl. Her innocence was something to be treasured in this cruel world and he would do what he could to maintain it for the short time they were together.

"Yes actually. As a matter of fact, I was just assigned to serve the church in this town." She spoke this part with a mixture of happiness but also sadness if Percy heard her voice right. There was clearly a story there.

"That makes sense, what with the nun habit and all." He gave her a cheeky grin to let her know he was teasing and she gave him a smile back in response.

"Yes, I am" was what she said back. "I don't know my way around town yet though so I'm a little lost."

Before Percy could even think about it he already had words spewing out of his mouth. "Would you like some help then? I'm pretty new to the area myself but I've seen the hill the church is atop of so I can direct you there."

The girl blushed at the suggestion but Percy could see a hint of hope in her eyes as well. "You would be willing to help me?" she asked in her soft voice.

Percy just smiled down at her and took her suit case in his hand again. "I'd be glad too. Plus, I'm pretty sure my mom would kill me if I didn't act like a gentleman."

And with that Percy directed Asia where to go.

(Line Break)

The beginning of the walk was fairly quiet as both took in all the details of their town. Percy was still observing the trees and flowers and the girl found herself looking at Percy and the surrounding homes they past. They conversation was light as they made small talk but both had smiles on their faces and gleams in their eyes.

It was as they rounded the first turn that they heard a small shout and crying. Percy was immediately on guard prepared for a monster and his hand dropped into his pocket to grip Riptide. The girl, on the other hand, rushed to where a small boy had fallen on the ground and was holding his knee in pain. Percy could make out the light scrape on the kids knee so he didn't think it was anything serious and put his pen away. He didn't take his eyes off their surroundings though. That only changed when he heard her talk quietly to the little boy and saw a glowing green light emit from her hands.

Percy watched fascinated her the display and what she could apparently do. He'd seen Apollo campers heal others before and obviously the effects of Nectar and Ambrosia worked miracles on demigods but whatever magic she was working was unlike anything he'd witnessed before. In a matter of seconds, the kid's scrape was completely healed and he was as good as new. The shocked looked on Percy's face must have scared her a bit because she clammed up when she walked back over to him. Feeling bad that might have upset his new friend he quickly spoke up hoping to put her at ease.

"That" Percy began, "was amazing! How did you do that?" he asked with curiosity. It seemed to be the right thing to say as she gave him a big smile.

"You must be surprised." She spoke back.

"That's a great power" Percy said, "to be able to heal people is an extraordinary ability."

"Thank you!" the girl said back still smiling. She closed her eyes and somehow her smile got even wider and Percy couldn't help but find it cute. "I consider it to be a gift and a blessing. Truly." She began her sentence with such joy at her power but when she mentioned it was a blessing her voice trailed off. Percy could piece together that whatever had caused her some pain before now had something to do with her power. Maybe she couldn't heal somebody? It was always possible but it didn't look like she wanted to talk about it further.

It was only then that Percy realized he didn't even know this girls name. They had just spent the past 10 minutes walking and talking and he never introduced himself. His mother would kill him if she found out.

Turing to look at her Percy stuck his hand out to the side for a handshake. "I'm such a _vlakas"_ he said. "I haven't even introduced myself. My name's Percy Jackson."

The girl looked surprised at that fact too but she took his hand in a delicate handshake and introduced herself in response.

"I'm Asia. Asia Argent. It's so nice to meet you Percy Jackson."

Percy smiled at her and responded back. "It's a pleasure to meet you too Asia." Neither spoke again smiling and absorbing each other's presence.

(Line Break)

As they approached the top of the hill that lead to the church Percy felt a strange tingling in his body. His senses were working overtime letting him know that something was around and the closer Percy and Asia got to the church the stronger the feelings got. It was like a warning his body was issuing but, whereas others might cower and turn around, Percy merely braced himself for whatever might be up ahead. He did offer to escort her and he felt the urge to protect her from whatever danger was around. He started turning his head around to observe his surrounding while Asia continued to prattle on about what she hoped to achieve with the local church.

With the church only a mile in front of them, Percy got a good look at it for the first time. It was pretty simplistic in design though it was one of the larger buildings around town. Simple white stone made up the exterior with a large steeple at the top with a cross making up the tip. The front of the building showed off three large windows above a dark colored doorway with stained glass murals depicting images of the bible. Percy saw one that showed an angel with brilliant white wings shoving a spear through what looked to be a devil creature.

 _ **Be careful hatchling**_ the voice in his head suddenly spoke out.

Every time Percy tried asking about the voice he never got a real response back from her. This time he thought might be different if there was danger.

 _What do you sense?_ He asked back.

 _ **Mhmm… we are being watched by two powerful individuals. You will recognize the first while the second I'm not too sure about. It has been many, many years since I've felt either presence.**_

 _Do they mean us harm?_ He slowly lowered his hand into his pocket and grabbed Riptide just in case.

 _ **I do not believe so but the forces in that building surely will. You must retreat from here. You are too close.**_

Suddenly, in the corner of his eye, Percy spotted a flash of movement in the outlying trees. He jumped in surprise and immediately he turned his head to bring his entire attention to the spot. But when he took in the surroundings he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Some gently swaying leaves in the soft breeze perhaps but nothing sinister.

"Oh, are you alright Percy?" The kindhearted girl asked when she saw him jump.

He gave her a small smile in the hopes it relayed some of his awkwardness he felt. They were now very close to the church and Percy knew the voice was right. As much as he wasn't afraid of a fight should one happen he knew nothing about this place and considering it was a church there was probably going to be some people who wouldn't look too kindly on a devil hanging around. Plus, according to the voice there was also two other powerful beings outside the church that could also cause him problems.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Thought I just saw something in the trees over there. We should be careful here. I have a bad feeling about this place."

"A bad feeling? But the church is right there. Who would have evil intentions with a house of our Lord right there?"

 _Oh Asia,_ Percy thought, _how naïve are you?_

"It's probably nothing." He quickly tried to assuage. The blonde-haired girl gave him a big smile thinking he agreed with her statement. Her green eyes shone with happiness and her cheeks rose up with the smile showing off cute dimples.

"Please let me thank you properly. Would you like some tea? You've been such a big help and I'd be happy to make some for us." Asia asked with a hopeful look on her face.

The sky was getting darker now, though Apollo still shone his light, and Percy realized that it had been quite some time since he left school. Paul was still probably at school grading tests and papers so Percy figured he still had a little more time before he absolutely had to get home. Plus, he found that he really enjoyed talking with Asia. Sure, she was innocent and naïve but Percy grew up with war and hardships; she was like a breath of sea air in an otherwise muggy swamp. And with the powerful beings watching him he felt he had better chances with Asia inside the church then with whatever lurked in their vicinity. With how his luck was recently it was probably another legendary monster come to attack them.

"You know what?" he said while they were still stopped, "I'd love a cup of tea. Or coffee. Do you think you might have some coffee?" He hoped his constant observing of their surroundings wasn't too odd a behavior for her but as long as he could get her to safety before leaving then he'd feel better.

Asia let out a light laugh as joy blossomed on her face. "I'm sure I can find something for us. Would you mind terribly about telling me about America? I've always wanted to travel there but the church I was at previously usually just had patients come to me."

"Sure thing" he smiled in response. Asia's childlike eagerness was contagious and Percy felt himself about to begin explaining about how great New York was. Together they began walking again getting closer to the church.

They journeyed at a steady pace with Percy carrying Asia's bag. As Percy was explaining about how great New York was he got more and more excited and it was obvious how much he loved and missed his hometown. Asia ate up his words with genuine curiosity and Percy could see that his love of the city was rubbing off on Asia, making her want to visit herself.

"And Central Park is huge. It's easily bigger than the local park here what with all the bike trails and small pond in it. And there's a lot of trees. I swear that every time I walk through it I'm always amazed at the number of trees and bushes everywhere." He remembered one tree in particular that fit a large titan in it causing him to smile further.

"It sounds lovely." Asia said copying Percy's massive grin. "I heard the Empire State Building is really great too. I healed a woman that had visited New York once and she said that looking out from the top was one of the best experiences she'd ever had. Did you ever look out from the top Percy?"

Just as Percy was about to describe the Empire State Building though they were interrupted by a voice he knew all too well.

"The Empire State Building is quite magnificent. Especially from the top. Wouldn't you say so Percy?"

Percy closed his eyes in disbelief that the goddess had actually come to Japan but then realized that it probably was concerning recent events. He hadn't contacted the Olympians about his supposed death so he didn't think they would know. But he figured Nico or maybe Will had at this point. He cursed his damn luck.

"Oh, who are you?" Asia turned to look at the woman before them. Percy began turning around taking in the appearance she chose to adopt this time and found it pretty similar to her previous attires.

Standing before the demigod and his mortal friend was Goddess of Wisdom Athena. She was wearing a dark grey dress skirt with a black blouse and some kind of owl embroidered scarf or ascot around her neck. Her hair was done up in a bun in the back with those strange Japanese chopsticks that held woman's hair tightly together – he never could remember their name – and a pair of black rimmed glasses. She looked like the epitome of a Japanese business woman except for the fact she had a dark tan and obviously Greek.

"Hello" the goddess said after it was obvious Percy wasn't going to introduce the two. "My name is Hena. And who might you be?"

"Hello Hena" Asia said politely. "It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Asia and this is Percy."

"Oh, I know all about Percy here" the goddess replied smugly. "We go back a few years. Isn't that right cousin?"

Percy felt hints of anger flair up in his face though he didn't respond. It was rude he knew and obviously Asia could be up on some hostility he felt towards the goddess but he figured it was better to just not say anything at all.

"Cousin?" Asia asked after a moment.

"Yes, Percy is my cousin. On his father's side of course."

"What are you doing here Athena?" Percy asked before the goddess could elaborate or Asia could ask something else. He really didn't want her here.

"Your presence is required Percy. Our father's need to speak with you. It's quite urgent as you can imagine." Athena's eyes flashed dangerously for a moment before she regained her composure. It was clear she did not want to be the one to retrieve him but they needed to be sure he came one way or another. Percy didn't say anything but he didn't have to as it seemed Asia took it as he would leave.

"Oh" she spoke sadly. "I understand. I guess we'll have to do tea another time then Percy." Asia sounded so sad that Percy could feel her heartache. He didn't really want to go with Athena but something told him the goddess wasn't giving him much of a choice either. Instead he turned and addressed Asia.

"Absolutely Asia" Percy said. He grabbed a spare pen and a piece of paper from his backpack and started writing something down. It was kind of sloppy and Percy hoped his dyslexia wouldn't prevent the words from getting too screwed up to read. "Here Asia" he said handing over the paper. "That's my address. If you ever have some free time you should stop by." He eyed the surroundings one last time before speaking. "Just keep that hidden though, ok? My mom is pregnant and she doesn't like too many visitors right now." Percy felt bad about using his mom as a lie but some instinct told him that if somebody found out where he lived it could turn out bad for everyone.

Asia nodded her head and smiled up at him one more time before folding the paper neatly and putting it in a pocket on her habit. "I promise Percy, nobody will find your address. I'll keep it extra safe with my bible. And I will definitely stop by some time. Thank you so much for helping me today. I guess somebody really is watching over me." She spoke it so believably that Percy couldn't help but smile and laugh quietly at her. He watched her make her way down the road and into the church while Athena stood next to him.

After a minute, the goddess cleared her throat and got Percy's attention.

"The council has summoned you Perseus. It seems you have a lot to answer for recently. Prepare yourself."

Before Percy could even retort, the goddess stuck her free hand over his eyes to cover them both and teleported them to Olympus.

(Line Break)

When Percy opened his eyes, he was standing in the entrance of the throne room of the gods and he took in the wide circular expanse of the place. All the Olympians were currently seated on their thrones while Hestia tended the Hearth and, surprisingly, Hades was seated in a throne of his own construct. Percy's favorite aunt was in her typical eight-year-old form and gave him a grimacing smile before turning back to poke her flames. It was never a good sign when the Goddess of the Home couldn't even feign a proper smile. His uncle, on the other hand, looked furiously at the demigod with thin, pursed lips, flaring nostrils and his chin jutting out. His eyes though were easily the scariest part. His black eyes were swirling with barely restrained rage and Percy knew if he looked closely into the onyx marbles he'd fall into a madness so deep and horrifying that it would put Dionysus's to shame. The demigod could hear the faint wailing of the poor unfortunate souls trapped in his black chiton. If Percy couldn't already tell that his uncle was pissed then the screams of agony emitting from the God of the Underworld's clothes were definitely a red flag.

All the gods were robed in their traditional garments which was definitely odd for them, though both Athena and Ares were wearing their armor. Where Ares' sunglasses usually resided now were gone and the flames in his eyes were glowing brighter than Percy had seen before. A look of utter joy was plastered on his face and Percy felt some of his blood leave his own causing him to pale. The god was twirling his long two-handed sword in the ground next to his throne and his other hand was resting atop the Corinthian helm that sat upon the opposite side chair arm. Heavy bronze breastplate in the form of bell cuirass rested on his torso and was tied tightly securing it in place while thick, sturdy greaves and vambraces covered his shins and forearms. An image of a wild boar, the sacred animal to the god, was stenciled into the front of the breastplate. The boar was facing Percy and the demigod could swear he saw the image grow animated as the tusks seemed to moved up and down as if charging him. It was no doubt the work of his brother Hephaestus.

Likewise, Athena too was wearing armor though her's was golden and obviously designed for her figure. Her breastplate was shaped to secure her breasts tightly to her body though it slimmed down to outline the goddess' toned stomach. She too had a Corinthian helmet though, unlike her brother, Athena's helmet rested snuggly on her head while strands of her hair could be seen sprouting out from just under it. Ares' Linothorax skirt armor covered most of his legs but Athena needed a longer dress that extended to her knees to maintain propriety. The goddess's armor was as plain as it was simple. Then again it was designed for only two purposes: protection and efficiency. Percy could see a Celestial Bronze spear leaning against her throne and the outline of her shield locking it in place. He had never seen Aegis in its full glory but he had seen both Thalia's and Reyna's and they both could cause him to pause for a second. Knowing that only a fraction of its power could freeze him momentarily he had no desire to see what the full effects of the shield might do to him.

Looking around at the other gods Percy could see that everyone's attention was directed squarely on him. Even the normally uncaring and oblivious Dionysus and Hephaestus were staring at him. Percy gulped visibly and observed everyone more thoroughly.

Dionysus was seated in his vine covered throne with purple eyes glowing a menacing violent. There was no hint of amusement or mirth that Akeno's eyes held. He was wearing a white chiton with green, vine-like decorative borders outlining both the cuffs of his sleeves and the opening at his neck. His normally pudgy stomach was gone; instead replaced by a toned, muscular upper body. Percy imagined that this is how he looked when he too was a demigod.

Next to him was Apollo and the fun-loving god that Percy was used to seeing was replaced with a serious demeanor. He couldn't see the iPod his cousin usually had on him anywhere and the ever-present smile that usually graced his face was gone. Apollo's long blonde hair was sporting twin braids along the side of his face that prevented the longer strands from leaking into his eyes. It was a look that those in ancient Greece wore when preparing for a fight. He was gripping his throne loosely though he seemed tense and ready to strike if the need arose.

Hermes still maintained some aspect of his mischievous side though that was easily overpowered by the thinness of his lips. Neither smile nor frown made up his mouth and his normally expressive face was surprisingly stoic. The only thing that Percy could clearly identify was a hint of amusement in his eyes whenever the god looked at Ares. Maybe he played a joke on the god of War but Percy didn't think this was a room of individuals who would appreciate levity right then. The god of Travelers was wearing a chiton, much like all the other males, but he was also wearing a bright orange himation that covered his undergarment. The himation was often worn by soldiers on their travels to battles and the fact that even Hermes wore one now only fed into Percy's worrying.

Seated near his half-brothers, the God of the Forge was looking at Percy with a look the demigod had become acutely aware of from the cabin nine campers. Hephaestus was eyeing Percy up and down in an analytical manner as if trying to find out what made him tick. The normally antisocial god was wearing a black chiton though it looked to be that color due to ash from the forges he spent most of his time in. A bronze brace was secured on the god's lame leg to stabilize it and Percy had never seen such normal posture out of him. Every other time Percy had encountered his cousin he usually had his damaged leg out to the side and the metal brace was usually concealed better. A steady fire was sprouting from his thick beard and the god was occasionally rubbing his chin with his hands as if deciding how to improve Percy.

Across from the god of blacksmiths was his wife, the beautiful Aphrodite. If Percy was shocked by anyone's appearance it was definitely the Goddess of Love's as the mirror and make-up kit she was always fiddling with were absent. Instead, the goddess was completely make-up-less and her hair was done up in a simple bun. There was nothing fancy or intricate about Aphrodite but as far as Percy was concerned she had never looked more beautiful, though considering she was the goddess of beauty that wasn't really saying much. The smile that Percy was so accustomed to seeing on the goddess was still present though it seemed more subdued than previously. She was wearing a light pink peplos that gently flowed down her body to her ankles and her feet were completely exposed revealing dark red painted toenails. Her hair kept flashing from the crimson red he now recognized Rias had and a light, pale, golden yellow that looked a little like Annabeth's but was also somehow different. The changes were quick and Percy had to turn away from her before he got dizzy from the constant shifting.

Artemis was eyeing Percy with a cold, impassive look. After their last encounter Percy felt grateful that that's all he was getting. He really didn't want the Goddess of the Hunt as an adversary and he distinctly remembered how she easily fought and outsmarted Atlas on Mt. Tam while he had his ass handed to him in practically no time at all. She was wearing her typical silver Hunter garb and her bright white yew bow was out and resting on the side of her throne. Glowing silver sandals that Percy had never seen on the normally barefoot goddess covered her feet and Percy felt like he was looking at a piece of moonlight shining down from the skies. The goddess was sharpening her hunting knives with a pure white whetstone that looked to made of moonrock. The action itself wasn't threatening and it seemed to be more a matter of maintenance than intimidation.

Further down the line of goddesses was another surprising sight to behold. Demeter with her usual aloofness was instead pure focus as Percy looked up at his aunt. Her dark brown hair was seemingly highlighted with streaks of light brown and honey blonde running through her tresses. She was wearing a dark green peplos that only extended to her knees and a scythe rested over the arms of her throne. Seeing that Scythe brought back bad memories as it reminded him a great deal about Kronos. He hoped this blade didn't have the ability to reap his soul like his grandfather's weapon did. Much like the rest of their family, the goddess was squarely focused on Percy and no hints of mumbling about agriculture could be heard.

"Perseus Jackson," said a voice from the very front of the room. It wasn't thunderous or intimidating like Percy expected. Instead it was simply cold and soft but also cutting and forceful. It demanded attention and it was completely unlike anything Percy came to expect from his Uncle.

Percy knew that was his que to begin entering the throne room proper and he slowly made his way into the center by his aunt. He took steady steps letting his feet guide him into the middle while getting a good look at the remaining three gods.

He first turned to look at his father who was staring down at him with a face as unreadable as the everchanging seas. It reminded him a great deal of his first sojourn into this room to return his uncle's bolt and that made Percy very weary. Poseidon was wearing a sea-green chiton that cascaded over his body like rumbling waves and his short beard looked freshly shaven and done up back into a goatee style. His Trident was resting in the cupholder of his throne and the Sea God's hands were gripping his weapon with so much force that Percy could see the whites of his knuckles even from a distance.

As Percy stopped in front of the hearth he finally took in the King and Queen seated at the front. Both were dressed in their finest clothes and looked like true royalty. Hera was seated to the left of her husband and her Peplos was multi-colored with vibrant blues and greens and purples flashing brightly. She was holding a long, colored feather that matched her dress, a peacock feather if Percy's guess was correct, and she was eyeing him warily. Him and the Queen hadn't really gotten along that well as his relationship with Annabeth strained their own and that's not to mention the kidnapping incident. Despite all that he thought she did still have some affinity for him at least. She trusted him to bring their family together when others would have chosen others and she did help him numerous times in his quest with Annabeth through the Labyrinth.

Finally, Percy took in the appearance of the final god, the King and his uncle. Zeus was seated like usual in the very center of the room and he chiton was as white as freshly fallen snow with decorative borders made of glittering gold on the sleeves. He wore a crown of laurel wreaths on his head, something Percy had never actually seen on his uncle despite seeing mosaics and pictures of it, and he gave off an immensely powerful aura. His uncle looked to be about 10 years younger too, maybe only 25 or so, and his full beard was meticulously trimmed to barely an eighth of an inch long. His black hair contrasted nicely with his electric blue eyes and Percy could see hints of anger on his uncle's face. The normally arrogant and paranoid god Percy had come to know over his five years of dealing with was suddenly replaced with one that was cautious and seemingly more hostile than ever. Before Percy could quicken his temper he quickly bowed to the King and Queen before kneeling at his father's feet.

"Rise my son" Poseidon intoned with a deep baritone voice. Percy was quick to obey and turned back to Zeus noticing that his father's eyes flashed with sadness and anger and some other emotion that Percy couldn't quite identify. It happened in the blink of an eye but before he could dwell on that his musing were interrupted by Zeus.

"Perseus," Zeus began, "it would seem that the rumors we've heard of you are true then." Zeus's eyes looked towards the back of the room where Hades was still fuming on his makeshift throne of bones. Percy looked back as well and Hades eyes burned with black flames upon their gazes meeting. The skulls that made up the ends of the arms on his throne were starting to crack from the pressure the god was exerting on it and the wailing on his clothes rose to screeches. Percy gulped visibly.

"Umm…" he tried to respond. His throat felt parched and worry started to overtake him as he began realizing that this trip was not going to be a good one. Percy didn't know the exact reason why he was here as Athena never revealed it but he had a strong guess. He looked around the throne room hoping to see some support or understanding from the gods but instead he only got looks of stoicism.

"I don't quite follow you Lord Zeus. What rumors are you talking about exactly?" he asked in hopes that he assumption was wrong. Sadly, that wasn't to be the case.

"DO NOT play coy with us demigod!" roared Hades from the back. "You should not be here! You died! I escorted your soul to Judgment myself! How dare you break ancient laws such as this!"

Percy flinched when he realized his guess was correct. The fact that Hades, a god banished from Olympus itself, was seated in the throne room when it wasn't solstice time only left a few other possible explanations. And considering there wasn't a war currently ongoing that narrowed things down further. Poseidon opened his mouth to speak but surprising it was Zeus who spoke first.

"Calm yourself brother" said the king. "We will find out the truth of the matter and do what is… necessary." Zeus said the word necessary as if it had multiple different possibilities, none of which were good. Athena nodded her head in support of the notion though the other gods remained motionless.

"I will have justice Zeus!" Hades responded. "He should not be here and I claim his soul. Regardless of what he may have done in the past that does not forgive this transgression." The God of the Underworld was looking all around the room though his gaze never wavered from Percy for more than a moment. His hands twitched to his side as if he was about to summon something but he constantly moved them back to his chair arms and added more pressure to the skulls at the end. Eventually the pressure got to be too much and one of the skulls cracked completely and broke off from the end falling onto the floor to resounding silence. A loud scream of pain emerged from his clothes with the cracking of the skull.

"Perseus, tell us what happened" Zeus said calmly again. The room had now returned to an eerie quietness with the silent skull cracking of Hades throne being the only sound. Every god shifted his or her attention directly to Percy and he felt his face heat up. He remembered the situation as clear as the night it happened now that his memories of the event prior to his death had completely returned to him and he wasn't looking forward to retelling it to anyone. But seeing as how everyone was now watching him, he didn't have too much of a choice and thus began his story.

It started out simple with him explaining that he had finished his homework and had promised his mom to try and go out and meet some people. He saw a small smile escape from Hestia's downward turned head as she poked her flames at the mention of his mom. He skipped most of his run as it wasn't that important and the gods wouldn't care about details like that but when he got to the part around the fountain in the park he saw some of the slouched positions some of the gods adopted as he began turn rigid and attentive.

"And as I was pausing I could see this kid from school on a date with this girl. He said she was his girlfriend or something but I think I can safely say their broken up now." He smiled humorlessly at the thought and reminded himself to tease Issei about his "girlfriend" if he ever got back to Japan. "Anyway, as they approached the fountain in the middle of the park I heard her ask him if he would die for her which immediately caused me to tense up. I don't really like this kid but the way she spoke was as if she really intended to kill him so when she jumped back and changed her appearance I knew I had to stop that from happening. I thought she was some kind of monster as I'd attracted the attention of some other ones before and this kid just had some bad luck."

Percy took a deep breath at this point as he remembered the little details of the fight and pushed himself onward. It would be better to just get it over with he thought.

"Well it turns out that she was actually a fallen angel and was really going to kill this kid so I pushed him aside and engaged her in a fight. It didn't last very long as she didn't have a great amount of skill with a spear in close combat. Suddenly a red circle started forming near Issei and as my attention was drawn to that the fallen angel jumped in the air and tried to go after Issei. I raced after her and when she threw her spear to kill him I jumped in front of him and the spear went through my lungs. She didn't hang around long after that and as I was starting to die I saw a girl with red hair standing over me mumbling something. She was trying to say something about living but that's when I saw Thanatos. I said the word no and then he reaped my soul. I still don't remember every detail of what happened in the Underworld though."

As Percy finished this part of the story he looked around at the gods and took in their expressions again. Most still maintained a blank face though Ares had a giant grin. Athena had raised her eyebrows in disbelief and Hermes had a small smirk as if he knew it all along. His father though was smiling broadly and the pride he had for Percy was quite obvious. The anger from earlier had seemingly dissipated and was replaced with relief though the god still warily looked back to Hades on occasion.

"So, what you're tell us" Athena said to quickly summarize, "is that while running you encountered a fallen angel trying to kill a boy and ended up dying in the confrontation. And that's it. Correct?"

It seemed like Athena was fishing for something but Percy didn't know what. It was all pretty straightforward.

"Yes, my Lady." He responded. "That was everything as I remembered."

"So, you did not ask this woman standing above you to save your life?" she questioned again.

Percy actually snorted at that thought. "My life hasn't exactly been sunshine and daisies. I wasn't trying to die but I was ready to all the same. In fact, if I remember correctly, that's why I said no at the end." His confession didn't come as a shock to many of the gods in the room as they all had followed the major events of his demigod life fairly closely but still a few were surprised. Chiefly among them was Aphrodite who gasped at his confession and brought her hand up to her mouth. Percy turned to look at the goddess and she looked sad and disheartened as if she didn't understand why he would accept his demise so nonchalantly.

"No, I supposed it hasn't" Athena followed up with. "And what happened next? The boy was saved I presume?"

"Yes, he was saved. When I woke up the next day I didn't remember much of anything though my mom was upset with me for getting home so late. I'm still not sure how exactly I _did_ get home but I was in my bed the next day completely fine." He inadvertently remembered the headache he had the following morning and shook his head as if trying to forget the imaginary pain.

"The entire day was pretty much me being out of it and trying to remember what happened but then when Nico and Will showed up that night and explained that something had happened, that I had died and come back somehow, I got pissed off. Nico said I had achieved the Isle of the Blest…" he paused here again to soak in the fact that the ultimate paradise was robbed of him. He had started to come to terms with it but he didn't know if he'd ever be able to let that fact go. Maybe given more time he might but it was still too fresh at the moment. He tried to remember the good things like the fact that he would know be able to get to know his future sister and he could be with his mom but it was hard still.

In the absence of talk from Percy, murmurs ran throughout the throne room. Nobody seemed to be talking directly to one another but almost every god or goddess had quietly commented on that fact to themselves. The only three who didn't were Zeus, Athena, and Poseidon. Even Hades in the back of the room could be heard grumbling about that and Hestia had a deep frown on her face while poking her fire forcefully and muttering words like "evil" and "backstabbers". Zeus maintained his regal demeanor though Percy could tell he was still angry about something. Probably about the fact that Percy had achieved the Isle of the Blest rather than one of his own children. Athena continued to eye Percy closely but kept nodding her head up and down as if she had come up with hidden answers. Her grey eyes observed his arm in more detail and Percy reflexively pulled his arms behind his back in a relaxed but attentive position. He didn't know why but he wanted to keep the voice in his sacred gear to himself for now. At least until he figured out who she was and how she ended up there. He was growing some kind of bond with the voice and he selfishly wanted that to remain between themselves for now.

Poseidon easily took the cake for most noteworthy reaction though. The god who had been tense in the beginning before shifting to proud of Percy had suddenly become furious. Percy had no doubt that somewhere right now the ocean was being churned up in a category 5 hurricane and probably causing devastation to both land and sea life around it. He knew that his dad would probably be upset at this fact but he honestly didn't expect the quiet rage that poured off of him.

"You achieved the Isle?" Poseidon asked quietly yet still managed to cut off everyone else's mutterings. Percy merely nodded his head in answer and when Poseidon looked back towards Hades the God of the Underworld grunted and waved his hand in agreement. The Sea God stood up then and everyone in the room felt the flaring of his power oozing of off him. When Percy took in his father's aura he could only describe it as the deep abysmal darkness that haunts the hidden depths of the Oceans. It was quiet, it was foreboding, and when it was unleashed it was devastating. For others it would have been hard to describe but for Percy it was easy to sense. Poseidon's entire godly power overtook the throne room and even some of the other Olympian's shied back from his slowly unloosening rage. Zeus however, wasn't having any of it.

"SIT DOWN POSEIDON! LET HIM FINISH THE STORY." roared the King.

Poseidon eyed his brother with unhidden disgust but took up his seat again without comment. He didn't need to though. His power was still flaring off of him letting everyone know what he thought about the situation. Percy took a deep breath before continuing with an unnecessary head nod from Zeus.

"Well I was pretty angry when I found out and went looking for some monsters to hunt down." To the side Percy could see Artemis raise an eyebrow before nodding her head like she agreed with that idea. She was the Huntress so she probably did after all. "With how angry I was I was letting loose some pretty powerful scent and pretty soon a ton of monsters had found me. I dealt with them but as the night went on eventually I came across another Fallen Angel. We had a brief fight before we were interrupted by three devils. The leader of the devil exchanged some talk with the angel but she was going to let him go. I stopped that however and killed him."

"Never leave an enemy to relay information. Not bad punk. Maybe you're not such an idiot after all." Ares interjected. It was the first time the God of War and Bloodlust had actually spoken though his joy in whatever was happening was still noticeable. Percy felt his anger levels rise with the backhanded compliment and closed his eyes trying to reign it in. No matter what Ares said Percy would just naturally hate him.

"Anyway," Percy said while distinctly trying to ignore said god, "I was left with the three devils at that point and they wanted to talk to me. I agreed because I needed some answers and they tried to get me to go to their home base or whatever but when I wouldn't go the leader, a woman, dismissed the other two and we talked."

"Who is this woman?" Artemis asked then. Her curiosity was obviously peaked at the fact that it was a strong woman who seemed to command others.

"She said her name was Rias Gremory and she was a devil, obviously, and that she was my master. There was something about strays and power. She explained a bit more about the Biblical Factions and then we were interrupted by the Hydra showing up. It took a little while but we eventually killed it." Percy said that as if killing legendary monsters was no big deal anymore. And it truth, with the number of legendary monsters he's come across and fought it really wasn't. He could see Zeus and Hera scowl at the thought of him fighting another legendary but he also saw pride extend from his dad again. His oppressive aura had diminished slightly with that but it quickly returned as Percy continued.

"I went home and slept after that." Percy turned his head downwards slightly as he remembered waking up with Rias that very morning and his mother's disappointment and anger. He felt a twinge of heat enter his cheeks but he quickly suffocated the ensuing thoughts of Rias sitting naked in front of him not wanting to invoke the wrath of probably every goddess present. Percy heard small chuckles from both Hermes and Apollo and when he turned to look at them he saw the mischievousness in their eyes making him wonder if their being on his shoulder this morning was actually real instead of being a figment of his imagination. He shuddered at the thought.

"The next day, today actually, she sent the kid I saved and another to come and fetch me for some meeting they had. I told them no, I wasn't part of their little group of devils. And that pretty much brings us up to now." He cut out a lot of stuff but there were plenty of awkward encounters and things he didn't want them to know about right now. He knew Athena obviously had more questions for him if her posture was anything to go by and so too did Artemis oddly enough. Then again, with Rias obviously being a strong-willed, independent female that would play up to the goddess' good side. The rest of the gods had looks that were either thoughtful or uncaring. All except for Zeus and Poseidon and Hades that was.

The elder three brothers were silent as they took in Percy's complete story now. Other gods and goddesses had resumed quiet muttering but the eldest sons of Kronos remained silent, only looking at one another as if communicating telepathically. Poseidon's aura had finally receded and his look once more adopted the uncertainty of the seas. Zeus was gripping his throne tensely and he had his eyebrows burrowed together in deep thought. Percy could still see hints of anger from the god though he wasn't quite sure why anymore. He certainly seemed less hostile than when Percy entered the throne room. Hades was still furious however. When Percy had mentioned the Hydra and how he killed it he felt a slight flareup of power from the god of the Underworld but he didn't think too much of it at the time. Now that he was reflecting though, it did seem a bit odd that a legendary monster would just happen to show up right after he was resurrected even if he was using his demigod powers.

"I think it is clear that my son is free from wrongdoing" Poseidon said once more effectively cutting everyone else's mutters off. Most of the other gods nodded their head in agreement though Hades stood up glaring right at his brother.

"It does not matter if it isn't his fault or not, he still must be returned to the Underworld. I will not let the Ancient Laws be broken by his actions as a mortal." Hades had drawn his Stygian Iron Sword, the one he and Nico and Thalia helped retrieve and inadvertently forge ironically and he started marching towards the demigod. "He is no longer mortal therefore he is free from the Ancient Laws any longer. I will make it swift and painless."

Hades continued marching closer to Percy though he didn't get far before three others stood in his way. The first was to be expected. Poseidon stood directly in the pathway of Hades with his Trident brandished menacingly and pointed at his brother's midsection. Next was a bit of a surprise though as Athena stood behind Poseidon with her spear poised to find godly flesh and Aegis locked on her forearm ready to be used to either defend or attack. The last god though shocked the Hades right out of Percy. Ares stood just in front of Percy with his helmet now on his head and he was gripping his two-handed sword tightly and ready for action. If it was any other god Percy would have suspected that he was just itching for a fight but Percy and Ares hated each other so he was really at a loss for why his cousin was doing this. Hades was strong but fighting his brother, who was arguably just as powerful as himself, and two war deities was not a fight he could take up.

"STAND DOWN" Zeus again shouted. "EVERYONE SIT DOWN IMMEDIATELY. I WILL NOT HAVE BLOOD SPILT HERE." Percy noticed that his uncle didn't say today or anything like that. He wasn't in the clear yet apparently.

"I will not have more souls running around that should be dead Zeus." Hades said. "Those who are dead must remain with the dead."

"Oh, so we should retrieve Hephaestus' son then too? He was dead. And while we're at it we can send your daughter back where she belongs too. I'm sure Asphodel was lovely for her." Poseidon retorted and he and Hades remained standing after Zeus' order staring down each other viciously. Nobody wanted to get between the two brothers but Percy saw Hestia lay down her poker and gently make her way between her brothers. The atmosphere in the room was tense to say the least.

"Please brothers" Hestia said in her quiet 8-year-old voice. "We need not fight about this. Already we have much more to discuss." She then turned and looked directly at Poseidon. "Would you really harm two demigods who have done us a great service brother? They are heroes much like your own son. You would willing condemn them in an act of revenge?" Her tone wasn't critical or demanding of the Sea God. Rather she was merely trying to point out that Poseidon was in the wrong and he knew it. Poseidon glared once more at Hades before turning his head down in shame.

"And you Hades? You would willingly attack and murder a man who has done more for Olympus, and you in particular, than practically any demigod before? He retrieved your Helm of Darkness when it went missing did he not? Who was it that rescued your children and helped your son and both your daughters find places in this world and make friends? Who helped forge that sword that rests in your hand as you prepare to strike him down?" Hades just continued to glare at Percy though Percy could now see that Hestia's words were having some effect on him. She really was the Peacekeeper in the family. "You've heard his story brother. It truly was not his fault and he did not ask for this. And Poseidon is right to some extent. We have turned a bind eye to others who have come back recently. Leo Valdez and your own daughter Hazel Levesque are but two. Are you so prideful you cannot let a true hero live a little longer?"

Percy felt himself flush with such high praise from his aunt. He didn't know about whether he was truly worthy of being called a true hero no matter what the Judges of the Underworld had declared for him or what his father or aunt said. He'd made plenty of mistakes in his life, mistakes that had either directly or indirectly caused the death of so many people.

"It is against the Ancient Laws" Hades said again, stubbornly refusing to give in. "And he's a bat now. He will join the rest of those fools and corrupt the people of the world." Percy wasn't quite sure where that last bit came from but something told him that was more of the driving force in his uncle's arguments than him accidently breaking the Ancient Laws.

"But you've heard him brother" Hestia continued innocently. "He hasn't aided or joined anything Devil related. He has rejected the woman who resurrected him."

"But he will. They all do. I HATE those Devils and Fallen Angels. Always getting in the way. Always interfering where they aren't wanted. Just look at us now! Arguing over whether or not we should kill him again because of those damn crows and bats!" Hades was working himself up into a frenzy with each passing word. He became short of breath and the madness in his eyes swirled with unbridled hate. It was definitely a creepy sight and Percy could start to sympathize with why Zeus and the other gods wanted to exile Hades in the first place now. "I want my vengeance Zeus! They've interfered for the last time!"

Until this point, Zeus had remained mostly quiet aside from the few outbursts in reigning order into the throne room. His paranoid face had remained stoic aside from some hints of anger and now Percy could see deep thoughts churn in his head again.

At last Zeus stood and motioned for everyone to move back to their seats. He pointed with his Master Bolt so there was no argument though both Poseidon and Hades still grumbled about the fact. The king looked into each gods' eyes before looking down to stare directly into Percy's. The demigod could practically see the electricity flash through his eyes and the air was filled with a distinct scent of ozone.

"Athena" Zeus said without removing his eyes from Percy, "he is tainted by the devils. How will this affect relations with the others? The Devils have committed a serious offense. Is there a chance to salvage this situation?"

Percy turned his head away from his uncle and stared at Athena. His father had retaken his seat on his throne and was gripping his trident fiercely again and his body was tense. There was no leaning back for the Sea God as Percy could see tight muscles ready to unload upon any who made a move to harm his son. It brought a little comfort to Percy knowing his dad had his back but he didn't know if the god would be quick enough to outtravel the Master Bolt if Zeus fired it. Percy looked deep into Athena's eyes as she analyzed his every move. If Percy shuffled his feet the Goddess of Wisdom observed which foot moved first. If Percy moved his arms behind his back again the goddess would raise an eyebrow at the motion. When Percy took a deep breath, the goddess counted the number of milliseconds until he released it. Every minute detail was being captured by her and Percy felt distinctly uncomfortable by the thorough search.

After a few minutes of Athena practically dissecting Percy with her mind she leaned back in her seat and turned to her father. Percy felt his throat catch in anticipation for what she was going to say.

"This new development obviously changes things" the goddess began. "Before we had more options with who we dealt with and who was willing to hear us out. I believe we had made some strides with the Angels before this. With his current state as a devil that is no longer an option. The Angels will not treat with a devil and it would be dangerous for him either way. That leaves only the Fallen Angels and the Devils themselves. Some of the Fallen ones might be more apt to listen to our argument though that has lost a lot of sway for they too dislike Devils. Although, from what Hermes has gathered it seems things aren't all cozy with the fallen ones as well. Is that correct brother?"

Hermes looked taken aback to be addressed like that but he was quick to nod his head in agreement nonetheless. "Yes, that's true. Word is that there are a few Fallen Angels who want war again. I haven't been able to figure out who as most of the fallen angels are tightlipped about it."

Athena brought her hand up to her chin and tapped it a few times before muttering the word "interesting" and then continuing on. "And then we of course have the devils. They would of course be the obvious choice to continue with the pact though our position is now significantly weakened. Before we could say that he was one of our greatest heroes, a savior to demigods and Olympus, a bastard prince of the seas." She had a smile on her face at that last sentence throwing a little shade at his dad. "But now we have to contend with the fact that he is already a member of their pantheon. And a lower member too if his story is correct. Already a servant to the House of Gremory."

"So, can we salvage this or not" Zeus asked huffingly. Now Percy was starting to see some of the same old Zeus he had gotten to know for the past few years emerge.

"Can it be salvaged? Yes, quite simply too I believe. Now how you want to salvage it? Well that's a different story altogether."

Silence rang out as Athena finished speaking. The throne room once more became still and the scent of ozone was still prevalent. Percy saw a couple of the gods nod their heads up and down before becoming still once more.

"We shall cast a vote then." Zeus finally said after the silence started becoming oppressive. "It is simple, we will vote on whether Perseus lives and we continue with the plan or he dies and we come up with something else. Dionysus, you begin."

The God of Madness looked at Percy for a moment before saying "he lives" and turning to look at Hermes. The Messenger of the Gods smirked down at his cousin before quickly agreeing with Dionysus. And on and on it went down the line. Surprisingly, the vote mostly turned out in his favor too with even Zeus voting to spare him. The lone people voting for his demise were Hephaestus and oddly enough Demeter. Percy had a smile on his face as he realized that he wasn't going to die again but he could hear Hades in the background grumbling again.

"The council has spoken. We continue with the plan and Perseus yet lives. Aphrodite, have you found a suitable candidate yet? With only Fallen Angels and Devils in the mix now that surely narrows the search."

When Percy turned to look at the goddess he could see some heat once again returned to her eyes. The passion and fire were still there but Percy also saw that she looked a little annoyed at the changes in circumstances. Percy felt himself start to smile a little bit in thinking that the search might have to be started over again with only Devils and Fallen Angels as potential partners for him but it seems like Aphrodite mistook what he was actually smiling about and her previous annoyance vanished. She returned a smile to him and let out another girlish giggle before summoning an intricate Japanese Hand Fan that displayed numerous roses and doves. Percy quietly wondered if that was how she attracted the attention of Drew Tanaka's dad.

Before Aphrodite could answer though Hades once again stood up but this time he was not alone. Poseidon had also jumped to his feet and both gods looked directly at their brother. Hades was still clearly pissed off and so too was Poseidon.

"I will NOT allow this to just be swept under the rug Zeus!" Hades said. "A soul has been returned to this earth; a soul from our pantheon! A price must be paid!" The God of the Underworld had his right fist balled up and held directly in front of him in an aggressive posture. His oily black hair had lost some of it's sleek appearance with the constant up and down motion of Hades rising from his throne. His Helm of Darkness had manifested itself in his left hand and he rested it with the face end out on the side of his stomach clearly ready to don it if necessary. His sword had returned to his sheath but the wailing from his clothes was still ever-present.

"I have turned my back towards you all when you have broken the Ancient Laws before but this is something that has been done one other major time in our history. Asclepius had defied the Ancient Laws and returned those who should be dead to life. It was you yourself Zeus that hurled a lightning bolt that killed him. Only through the begging of your children was he deified. And now we sit at the same situation but with a half member of another pantheon. You refuse to kill him in hopes of furthering your own power. I let the issue with Asclepius go but I won't this time around. The Laws are clear! I WILL HAVE JUSTICE!" Hades said with his voice raised. "If you won't kill him then you can consider yourself at war! I will stop all death, I will unleash the hoards of Hades and overrun this world. Think carefully _oh mighty king_." He finished venomously.

The throne room was silent once more as Hades' threat took root. Percy felt his hand slide down to his pocket and gently pulled Riptide out still in pen form. Hades threat was a serious matter and after everything that had happened the past few months Percy didn't think that the gods would be eager to stop death once again. After all, if death stopped then the monsters would keep returning just like when Thanatos was chained but the major difference this time around was that once any demigods died they would still go to Hades but would now serve the God of the Underworld. It would potentially pit brothers and sisters against brothers and sisters, cousin against cousin, and maybe even lovers against one another. The devastation and heartbreak that would cause left little doubt that it would truly wreck both the Greeks and Romans.

"Brother" the voice of Hestia said softly. The demure goddess had taken such an active role in this council meeting that Percy couldn't help but wonder just how influential Hestia really was. Clearly should could get almost any of the gods to listen to her. "Please don't contemplate that. You would really risk ruining our family once more?" The eyes of the goddess were starting to tear up at the prospect of her family being torn apart again. The fire in the center of the room was barely lit now with only embers and coals flaring. Hades oppressive, dark nature had claimed the room, much like how Poseidon's had earlier, and Percy felt the sense of hopelessness from the lack of Hestia's power.

Hades didn't say anything further but he did look down at his elder sister and nodded his head solemnly. And that was when Percy knew this wasn't merely a bluff. Hades meant exactly what he said and he would follow through no matter what.

Percy looked at the gods and goddesses and saw a multitude of reactions. The most prominent was shock which rested on most of the Olympian's faces. Next, there was Athena with apprehension and contemplativeness. Percy would have thought she was trying to find a solution that worked for everyone if he didn't see her fidgeting with her spear next to her throne. And lastly, there was anger. That came from both Zeus and Poseidon which wasn't that surprising. Zeus due to his brother threating war with Olympus and exerting such a powerful aura over his throne room and Poseidon because Hades was threatening to kill his son.

All three elder sons of Kronos looked like they were about to break out into a major fight but before anyone could even say anything Percy started walking towards the Lord of Death. As he approached he felt the eyes of the gods and goddesses watching him closely. The hair on the back of his neck bristled with the divine attention but he focused solely on his darker uncle.

Percy didn't know what he was going to do when he finally got there. His hand still gripped Riptide tightly but somehow that didn't seem like the answer. Attacking the god, even if it was in self-defense, would do nothing but piss off Hades and probably get him killed. The eldest son of Kronos, like both his brothers, was deemed much more powerful than the other gods and goddesses. He could feel sweat roll down his forehead from anticipation and anxiousness.

When he finally approached the god and demigod looked at each right in the eyes before Percy took a deep breath and looked down at his hand holding his pen. Dozens of thoughts flowed through his mind but before he could even voice any he found himself kneeling down before his uncle. The tension in the room was palpable and all the Olympians once again had a shocked expression on their face. Everyone except for Hestia that was. She clearly knew what he was doing and turned her back on the pair letting tears flow freely down her cheeks once more.

"My Lord" Percy began. His voice was hoarse with the realization at what he was about to do. His palms were sweating feverishly and no matter how many times he wiped them on his pants he could never seem to get them completely dry. "Is this truly the only way?" he asked with a naïve hope. He looked up at his uncle's face and saw that the madness that once swirled there had lessened considerably. Percy found himself staring up at the god and felt his heart beating a hundred miles per minute. His uncle had no response however.

"Please Uncle, we cannot have another war between family. We are just now barely recovering. If…" Percy trailed off at this with his voice catching in his throat. It was painful but somehow at the same time he felt free. Freer than he had the last two days anyway. His hand was shaking though whether that was due to fear or adrenaline or something else he didn't know. Percy drew another heavy breath and continued on. "If it means to prevent a war we cannot afford then I will return with you to the Underworld."

Percy's declaration was met with the reaction he expected. Sadness from some, indifference from others, shock and anger from his father. Hades though looked down at Percy with something akin to respect, something the demigod knew the Lord of the Underworld rarely gave out, even to his own children if Nico was anything to go by. Percy looked to his dad hesitantly to see the full range of emotions on his father's face and while he still saw hints of anger in the Master of the Seas he also saw pride. Pride Percy saw only one other time in all his short seventeen years; the day he defeated Luke and Kronos and saved Olympus.

No one spoke for a moment as the weight of the situation settled in. Even Zeus let the interaction play out as the King let the moment pass with the respect it was due.

"Perhaps I have been wrong about you nephew" Hades finally said after a moment. "I can now see why the Judges deemed you worthy of Elysium and the Isles. For this sacrifice there will be peace in the family." Hades nodded his head in acknowledge and gently redrew his sword from his sheath. The midnight black blade gave off a spooky feeling from it and Percy lowered his head down once more.

The tiles on the ground were sparkling white and Percy could make out tiny granules of silver and gold that was blended in with the pure marble. He found that his body had stopped shaking and he breathing had evened out. No longer was his heart racing or sweat pouring from his head. He closed his eyes remembering all his friends and family he was doing this for. He could picture them all as clear as day in his mind right then.

Jason and Piper were smiling down at him with arms wrapped around themselves lovingly. Piper's eyes were glowing with happiness and joy while Jason had a genuine smile on his mouth showing off that ridiculous scar from trying to eat a stapler. Leo was stationed next to them with a look of mischievousness in his eyes and his hands building some kind of new age device. Much like was always the case, Percy had no idea what it would do but he was sure it was beneficial to everyone. Nico and Hazel and Frank and Reyna were standing on the opposite side all smiling and laughing at something someone said though Nico was trying hard to maintain his usual emo attitude. He was failing at that with Hazel giving him gentle nudges in his stomach trying to get him involved in the group more. In the center of it all was Annabeth who was smiling at him with all the love he felt before their breakup. She was just as beautiful as he remembered and even their last few discussions couldn't taint the care he developed for her after years of saving one another. He was glad with that thought surprisingly.

Percy could make out the faces of the Stoll brothers and Clarisse and her siblings just behind the main group all engaged in some kind of joke or another. The Stolls and the rest of the Hermes cabin had something in their had that clearly was the cause of everyone's enjoyment while Katie and the Demeter cabin seemed to be the target once more. Everyone was laughing and hugging one another and looking straight ahead at Percy with smiles on their faces too.

Last of the group in his mind was some newer people Percy did not expect to think of as he was about to die. They were off the side from his demigod friends but they all smiled and laughed too at something. Rias Gremory stood front and center of this group with Akeno just to her left. Both wore their school uniforms and smiled at him with a big grin. Akeno had her arms around Rias the way best friends do and her eyes glowed with happiness. Rias looked directly at Percy giving him that same proud smile he got from her when they defeated the Hydra and he stopped the fallen angel from escaping. It was a proud look he sometimes got from his father but on Rias it was much more intimate and made Percy feel even better about himself.

Koneko was standing just behind Akeno with a chocolate fudge square in her mouth eating it and though her face remained impassive towards him, Percy caught hints of some caring in her eyes. It was the same with the two boys next to her. The first was that blonde boy Kiba who tried to get him to join their group earlier and the second was none other than the ever-annoying Issei. How in the name of Olympus he ended up in this mindscape Percy didn't know but he did feel some kind of connection to him. Percy assumed they were all Rias' devils which meant that to an extent they were connected. The last person was little Asia standing on the other side of Rias in her nun habit. She was looking at him with both sad and happy eyes as if she knew why he was doing this and at the same time wished he didn't have to. She was just glad to have had the chance to meet him. He reflected that she was truly a good person.

Percy realized then that he was making this sacrifice just as much for any of them as he was doing it for the demigods. The last time the Big Three fought had been World War II and nobody escaped that carnage. Considering that it was technically Rias' fault this happened he doubted the devils would be spared the fighting anyway.

When Percy opened his eyes again he saw the dark blade of his uncle reflected in the white marble below him. The sword was raised high ready to strike him down and return him to the Underworld. He was always told that that Loyalty was his fatal flaw and would get him killed. To save his friends he would sacrifice the world. It just so happened that in this case it was his own world he was sacrificing.

As Percy saw the sword slowly start to make its way down he felt mixed emotions. On one hand, he was completely at ease with his choice. He saved everyone he cared about and that was all that mattered to him. On the other hand, he was leaving them all behind. His mother would be devastated he was sure and he would never get a chance to meet his baby sister. It was confusing and painful as he experienced such conflicting thoughts.

"WAIT!" shouted a voice from behind Percy. All the gods turned their heads to see a standing Athena looking at the scene as if she had solved all their problems. Unfortunately, Hades sword was already in motion and it did not look as if he had any intention of stopping the swing. In fact, the God of the Underworld had a bit of a manic gleefulness to his eyes. Poseidon jumped from his throne along with Hermes and both gods ran as fast as they could but they would never be quick enough to prevent this strike. Percy couldn't help but open an eye once more and caught sight of gods and goddesses scrambling to prevent this. Why they suddenly decided to do this now when they were more than willing to let him die a minute ago caused Percy some consternation but at this point he doubted it would matter. They were too far away and Hades' was too close.

And then the oddest thing happened. As if his body was responding to everyone's actions he felt the hard, metallic armor that had adorned his left arm a few days ago suddenly appear on his entire upper body. The armor was as beautiful as before but now he could see other hues of blues and greens and purples mixed into it as well. The color was a swirling concoction of oceanic dyes with the complexion ranging from the dark blues found deep in the hidden trenches in the ocean to light silvers of the foam covering the ocean tops. It was beautiful and mesmerizing and it was even more so when a loud clang rang out and Percy felt a strong force push him from his kneeling to the ground.

All around the demigod the gods had stopped to observe what was happening. Hades had a look of curiosity that was blended with a look of fury at being stopped again. Athena and his father were still rushing forward to get of either side of Percy to protect him though they both had their brows burrowed into their eyes causing their foreheads to scrunch. Dionysus, Hephaestus, Demeter and Artemis all looked on with eyebrows raised in confusion though Artemis was the only one who appeared to be genuinely curious as to what exactly happened. Ares and Apollo looked relieved though Percy suspected it was for two entirely different reasons. Both Hermes and Aphrodite had panicked looks on their faces still and Percy could see a few tear stains streak down the Goddess of Love's face. And up in front both Hera and Zeus stared at Percy in shock though his Uncle's face also had a hint of anger in his eyes.

"What is the meaning of this!" roared Hades. "Why do you prevent this Athena? You heard the demigod, he made his choice. Now remove this infernal armor so I can continue."

"Don't act all high and mighty now Hades" Athena responded coldly. "I see what you were trying to do; molding your words and threatening his friends knowing he would sacrifice himself for them. That is low even for you." The rebuke was harsh but not undeservedly so if the look of smugness in Hades eyes was anything to go by.

"I did not create this armor though" Athena continued after a moment still guarding over Percy though looking at him curiously. Hades turned a rage filled eye from his niece to his brother only to receive a look of confusion from Poseidon as well. Clearly whatever had happened was neither of those two's doing. Hades turned to look at all the rest of the gods in the eye and saw similar expressions from them. Confusion, anger, curiosity; it was all there in the open and it caused a small growl to escape from Hades throat.

Percy stood up from the ground and tried to rub his shoulder and neck where his uncle had connected with his sword. It was sore though it wasn't the most painful of stings he ever received. When he brought his hand up to his neck he felt the metallic armor on both his torso and hand and he stood in shock trying to take everything in. Before when he manifested his metal armor it was only on his left arm, his non-dominant arm, but this time it was clearly on his entire upper body and extended to his neck. Lucky that it did too otherwise Hades blow would have decapitated the demigod regardless of his newfound armor.

"Well if you didn't do this Athena, or anyone else in this room," Hades looked around the room again to receive nothing but scoffing and headshaking, "then who protected the demigod?" he asked.

 _ **Now, now Hades**_ said a voice that seemed to reverberate throughout the room. It was playful and mischievous and Percy recognized it immediately as the voice he heard from before.

"Who dares address this council!" Zeus shouted from the front. "Identify yourself immediately!"

The deep feminine voice laughed lightly at the King's demand causing the scent of Ozone to seep in the throne room. Percy felt the hair on his legs stand up on edge from the untapped static electricity that was slowly building up from Zeus' anger.

 _ **Well it has certainly been a while, hasn't it Zeus? Not long enough for my liking though**_ **.** Once more the voice taunted a god. Percy felt himself start to sweat at the being's words as he saw many of the gods starting to grow angry.

 _Please be quiet._ Percy pleaded with the voice in his mind. He was willing to sacrifice himself for the world and his friends but now that he thought Athena might have a plan he was always willing to listen to an alternative.

 _ **It is alright hatchling**_ the voice continued. _**I have dealt with these gods before. Though the last time we interacted they were certainly much friendlier.**_

The gods looked around the room momentarily as if trying to locate the voice only to finally settle their eyes on Percy causing no small amount of embarrassment for the demigod. He could feel his cheeks heat up a bit under the overpowering divine attention though he quickly squashed that in favor of talking with the voice again. It seemed she was much more receptive to talking today.

 _You've met them before?_ He asked the voice.

 _ **Indeed, I have young one. It has been some millennia since then and I have been bound to your sacred gear as well. But we didn't exactly part on the greatest of terms. Did we Zeus?**_

The King of the Gods looked torn between anger, embarrassment, and confusion as voice tried speaking. Normally, the God of the Skies would love to have everyone's attention on him but not if it came at the expense of him not knowing something. And while the god seemed to have some sort of recognition as the voice continued he could not seem to fully understand who it was either. After a few moments of all the gods looking to Zeus to elaborate further on what was said did Athena decide to break the ice.

"Father," Athena asked, "do you know who this voice is? I'll admit she sounds familiar but I cannot place it."

"Do you know who this is Husband?" Hera then took up the mantle from her step-daughter. The way she asked the question though left little doubt that the answer better have been no however. Her eyes blazed the way they did whenever she found out about her husband's adulterous liaisons and a few of the other gods chuckled at the pressure Zeus was now under.

Said god gulped visibly under his wife's glaring eyes and he brought his hand up to loosen the collar of his chiton. Which in itself was funny as the chiton was already ridiculously loose to show off Zeus' muscular pecs. Percy found himself looking at his dad and smiling with not-so-hidden amusement much like the two elder sons of Kronos were doing as well. Even Hades appeared to momentarily forget his anger at the awkward state his youngest brother found himself in.

"Honey" Zeus began trying to put on some puppy dog eyes, "I will admit the voice does sound familiar but I can assure you that I don't know who this is." The lack of conviction in his voice didn't help his case however.

"No?" Hera asked skeptically. "Well then let's ask the voice if she knows you seeing as somehow she clearly knows about us." Hera crossed her arms over her chest and leaned on her back leg in the way women often do when they're trying to catch men in lies. It had a hint of smugness as Zeus seemed to be digging a deeper and deeper hole with each question she asked.

"Of course, my love" was all he responded. To Percy and the other males, it was the only response he could have given which only caused them to let out a few more chuckles. The chuckles seemed to bring Zeus out of whatever husbandly trance he was in however and the next second, he was glaring down at Percy with all the force of Kingship he had. Percy could feel that glare but he couldn't help the smile that remained on his face all the same.

"Voice" Zeus addressed, "who are you? You seem to know us."

 _ **Oh, but I do know you. We've all met before of course.**_ The voice said. _**Why I do believe it was right after Augustus Caesar finished his campaigns against Marc Antony and solidified his hold on Rome that we had our last interaction.**_

Two Thousand years wasn't that long a time for an immortal but it wasn't like it was yesterday either. A few gods still stared at Percy in confusion though it seemed two of them did finally realize who the voice was. The first was none other than the King who went from glaring to gulping again. Sweat poured down the mighty king's face and Hera turned back to her husband to take in his uncomfortable demeanor. The second was his father, Poseidon, who let mirth show in his eyes and let out a bellowing laugh in joy.

"What happened after Augustus claimed Rome dearest husband?" Hera questioned tightly. Her lips were once again pursed in frustration and if the look she continued to give her husband was accurate then she knew she wasn't going to like the answer.

"Why do you think anything happened dear?" Zeus responded. "Augustus went back to Rome and we adopted our Roman Personas. You know I rarely stray from your side when as Jupiter." Just mentioning the other side of him caused Zeus to briefly flicker for a moment before he returned to normal. His black hair had gone to blonde and he stood straighter and more stiff as the Optimus Maximus.

Hera eyed her husband again as if unsure to believe him. Percy eyed the god with skepticism too as he literally had a son right now that he clearly fathered. Jason was a good guy and Percy figured that he was actually a lot like Jupiter so he supposed it was possible he was more dutiful to his wife. But the thought did seem a bit ridiculous.

 _ **Ha**_ the voice laughed at Zeus' words. _**I hope you don't believe that for a second Hera. I've seen Jason through my hatchling here. He definitely still enjoys the pleasures of others. But that's not what I meant Zeus and you know it.**_

Any progress Zeus might have made with his wife before was immediately shattered as Hera again rounded on the King. "And what does she mean by that" the Queen asked. It wasn't really asking though as it was more of a demand.

"My love, I assure you, I don't know -" Zeus tried again to say only to be cut off by the voice again.

 _ **So those five years you spent trying to chase me down across Mesopotamia were just a simple misunderstanding?**_

"What does she mean by that!" Hera shrieked loudly. The goddess immediately rounded on her husband and began wailing on the King with her Peacock Feather weapon. Percy raised an eyebrow at that as it was just a feather but with the way Zeus was flinching from the hits on his arm he guessed there much have been more to the weapon than previously thought.

"Honey" Zeus tried speaking in-between Hera's hits "she's lying of course. I would never pursue other woman like that." The lie was spoken so fluidly that Percy could only guess that Zeus had said the same thing before. And that was confirmed true when Hera only continued hitting her husband and muttering about beating him into being a better god and how she was more than goddess enough for him.

The other gods and goddesses looked at each other before laughing lightly at the scene and turning again to look at Percy. Percy himself only turned to look down at his left arm while waiting for the voice to continue.

 _ **Ah, true love.**_ The voice said sarcastically. _**Glad to have been involved in such a happy marriage**_. At that the other gods in the room definitely laughed, perhaps none louder than Poseidon. It was that thought that actually brought the God of the Seas to address the voice.

"It has been far too long my Lady" Poseidon said with a smile on his face. His familiarity with the voice rang out clearly.

 _ **Poseidon,**_ the voice responded, _**yes it has hasn't it. I must admit I did not expect to see you again given my form. Tell me, is Amphitrite doing well? I have missed her company over the years.**_

"She is as well as can be expected" Poseidon said. "Things haven't exactly been perfect at home recently."

 _ **Yes, I can't imagine she was overly fond of your son here. Though I do have to admit I'm quite upset at you for locking his Sacred Gear away. Do you have any idea how cramped it is in there?**_

Poseidon flushed momentarily for letting out a light chuckle in embarrassment. "If I had known you were bound to the gear I probably wouldn't have locked it. Then again there was always the chance my brother might have struck you down. It was, unfortunately, better this way."

The voice let out a deep sigh as if it was giving up the argument. _**I suppose you are right. Though I don't remember your brother being this paranoid before. Is this not the same god who wowed the other pantheons with stories of his harrowing escape of your father?**_

"No, he's still the same arrogant idiot as always" Poseidon said. "He's just let his fear of losing the crown get the better of him in recent centuries. We expect him to return to a more fun-loving god in the next few decades."

The voiced hummed at that but did not make further talk as if absorbing his father's words. Percy looked back and forth between his arm and his father a few times until finally he let the previous conversation go. Athena, on the other hand, didn't look like she was ready to let anything go.

"Will somebody please explain what is going on? Poseidon, you clearly know this voice. I would very much like a name to go along with it when I address it now. It's getting rather annoying to keep calling it the voice."

Hermes and Apollo chuckled at Athena's constant desire to know everything but soon enough everyone settled back into looking at Percy and his arm.

Poseidon raised his eyebrow at his niece and didn't look like he was going to say anything but then his eyes connected with Percy. The demigod looked up at his dad in confusion which only made the god confused himself.

"Have you not explained to my son who you are?" the god asked out loud. The voice didn't say anything for a minute which Poseidon took to mean that it hadn't. Percy could see his dad's eye look downcast and a frown form on his face.

 _ **Perhaps, it would be best if you all took your seats and I explained some things**_. The voice spoke out loud but she seemed mainly to be directing her words at Percy. How he knew this he didn't exactly know but it felt right somehow. Around the room the gods and goddess who weren't named Zeus or Hera shrugged their shoulders and made their way to their thrones. Poseidon quickly grabbed Percy's arms and pulled him away from Hades who had once again adopted an angry expression. The levity from Hera and Zeus's marital issues long forgotten. The God of the Underworld gripped his sword tightly before abruptly turning around and sitting in his throne again to even louder screams.

Eventually all the other gods and goddesses had taken their seats. Everyone was paying attention to Poseidon now though Hera still occasionally sent a whack of her feather Zeus' way.

 _ **Where to begin?**_ The voiced mused to itself.

"How about who you are and the beginning?" Athena asked tightly. She clearly wanted to know as much as possible.

 _ **No, no. You don't need to know that far back. Besides, you already know most of that.**_ Athena clearly didn't like being dismissed like that but a few glares from her father and Uncles shut her up. After a moment the voice had a Eureka moment and began.

 _ **I suppose I can begin with my name, though I am disappointed more of you don't recognize me. Especially you Apollo. If I remember correctly, you once promised me to gift me a fire from the sun itself.**_

The other gods turned to look at Apollo but the God of Truth hesitantly laughed uncomfortably. "I've uh… I've made that promise once or twice before."

 _ **Glad to see I'm so special.**_ The voice deadpanned. Artemis sent a glare to her twin letting him know she didn't approve of said actions.

 _ **Anyway, I am Tiamat. And I must say it is good to see most of you again.**_

The name caused all the reaction she was looking for as all the gods had their "ahh" moment and nodded their heads in understanding. Based on who she called out earlier she let it be clear who she didn't think was good to see again though.

"Ah, Lady Tiamat" Athena said. "It has been far too long. Tell us, how did you end up bound to a Sacred Gear? And one wielded by a Sea spaw – I mean one wielded by a demigod at that." The goddess of wisdom was seated in her throne looking curiously at Percy's arm. The demigod bristled at that but his bristling was nothing compared to the loud "humph" Tiamat responded to Athena with.

 _ **I see the years have not diminished your prejudice Goddess of Wisdom.**_ Tiamat said with no small amount of hostility. It was clear the relationship between the two was somewhat strained. _**As for your question, I let the Red Dragon Emperor borrow my treasure once to fight his mortal foe. The fool destroyed it! I have been looking for him ever since to extract payment for my treasures or taking vengeance against him and his host if necessary. Unfortunately, the host of the Red Dragon insulted me in the late 11**_ _ **th**_ _ **century and I got carried away. I attacked both Albion and Ddraig in response to said insult and no payment from either dragon. It was a bloody affair and for some reason their hosts just wouldn't die easily. In response, the Angels and Fallen Angels and Devils united briefly to bind me to a Gear. I doubt they knew the full repercussions of their actions as the remaining two hundred years resulted in the Crusades but that's neither here nor there. I have been trapped ever since. It was only recently that a host has been chosen. My little hatchling here.**_

The entire time Tiamat spoke everyone could hear the anger in her voice. It was clear she hated her circumstances and nobody could blame her. If any of them were to get imprisoned then they'd be pissed off too. Not to mention loaning a supposed friend something you cared about only for them to destroy it. The gods had done much worse for much less crimes. However, at the end of her explanation they could all hear the warmth coming from her in regards to the demigod. Percy found himself feeling angry at why Tiamat was bound but he couldn't deny that he did feel good when she addressed him either. Clearly their relationship was growing and Percy found himself glad.

"Those damn fools" Poseidon said after a moment. He slammed his hands down on the armrests of his throne in anger. "Those idiots know the Sea does not like to be restrained. And then to go and bind one of them…" Poseidon's voice trailed off at that but the swirl in his eyes and his grip on the armrests let everyone know he was angry. Most of the gods rolled their eyes at his overdramatic display but Percy was nodding his head vigorously. Tiamat just hummed in agreement.

 _ **It was the Angels who did most of the work. It was their idea and it was them who supplied a majority of the energy for it. But seeing as how none of the groups trust each other that much it was still a pretty close split.**_

"Well" said the oily voice of Hades from the back of the room, "as tragic as that is I must be getting on with claiming my nephew's soul. It was nice hearing from you again Tiamat. Hopefully when your Sacred Gear is born again you won't end up in somebody who breaks the ancient laws." Hades' eyes glared down at Percy again and Percy felt himself tense up. Before he was willing to sacrifice himself for his friends and family but now that Athena revealed Hades deception he wasn't feeling quite so generous.

His father clearly remembered Athena's words too as he immediately stood in front of the demigod ready to defend him. "You are a fool if you think I will let you touch a hair on his head Hades." Poseidon said in a still angry voice. "I was willing to let my son make the decision before because it was clear he desired peace in the family. However, I have no such delusions now. If you touch him you will have the war you so desire."

"Is that a threat brother?" Hades asked quietly.

"No _brother_ , it's a guarantee." Poseidon responded in kind. He said brother in a mocking manner and Percy had never heard his father's voice so menacing before.

However, just as Hades was about to respond Athena interrupted the arguing brothers.

"Well I for one think a war is a good idea."

The gasps that went around the room came from the sources one would think gasped. Hera was caught off guard by her step-daughters declaration and Aphrodite had a shocked look on her face. However, the worst of all was Hestia as the look of pure horror on her face overruled any shock she might have displayed.

"Niece" the Goddess of the Hearth began, "you cannot mean that? We have just fought two wars. A fight amongst us now would damage the relationship between the Romans and Greeks that is sprouting." Hestia's eyes smoldered with the blackness of coal and Percy could see hints of fiery wetness in them.

"Who said anything about a fight amongst ourselves?" Athena asked with a satisfied smile.

"Considering Uncle H and Uncle P were just about to declare war on each other I'm pretty sure they were" Hermes sarcastically replied. The grey-eyed goddess turned to glare at her half-brother but Hermes just gave her a cheeky smile before waiting for a reply. Just as the Goddess of Wisdom was about to retort Zeus stepped in.

"Enough!" roared the King. "Everyone sit down. Athena, what do you mean?"

As Poseidon and Hades once more took their seats whilst eying each other forcefully, Athena began explaining her plan. Percy looked back and forth between his father, uncle, and cousin feeling a sense of dread wash over himself. He felt Tiamat trying to comfort him and was glad for the company they shared. It was a bit odd thinking about sharing his soul with a woman at first but he was starting to warm up to her and apparently, she was to him as well.

"Before I got into detail in my plan I have a question." Athena turned her head to look directly in the back at Hades. "Hades, is your desire for war so great you would truly stop death so shortly after we have just released him. You would truly risk all the extra paperwork and expenses you would incur by refusing to follow the natural order of the world. You yourself would be breaking the Ancient Laws you seem so bent on upholding."

Percy felt himself let out a tiny breath he didn't know he was holding. Now that he really thought about it, it did seem odd that Hades would be willing to break the Ancient Laws himself after claiming to need to take Percy's life to set things right. Then again, he was a god and as Percy had found out over the years the gods didn't always care about breaking the Ancient Laws. This time seemed to be a bit much though. Athena smirked as Hades glared at his niece but didn't respond.

"That's what I thought" was Athena's smug reply. "If that is the case why must there be war amongst the Olympians. Another injustice has been done. An injustice far worse and one that effects our entire pantheon. An injustice that has broken our laws. For years we have had an unspoken agreement with the Devils and Angels to stay out of their affairs and they would leave us and our heroes alone. But now they've broken that trust. They have turned their back on millennia of custom and tradition and disregarded our pantheon. They have resurrected one of our greatest heroes all in the name of vain glory and selfishness. This act cannot go unpunished. We cannot stand aside and let this be an example that this is ok in the future." Athena was getting heated now and Percy saw the other gods and goddesses nodding their heads in agreement with her words. She was making complete sense and Percy found it difficult to argue her logic.

"Hades, you claim to want to uphold the Ancient Laws as it was your domain that was sullied. The Devil's magic came into your home and pulled what rightfully belongs to the Greeks away to be used by them and their greed. Poseidon, your son is a hero and died nobly against a fallen angel. He has done much for Olympus and when he finally gets his peace how is he repaid? By being unjustly ripped from his paradise and thrown into a world of corruption and avarice. You both claim to right wrongs done to us and protect what is ours? Well I agree. We need to send a message to these Devils. You cannot take from us without facing the wrath of the Olympians. You both want war? Well I say let's have war. Let's declare against the Devils and show them who is stronger. We will show them not to mess with us. Their Satans are not the same ones as before and cannot stand up against our might. I propose a declaration of war against the Devil."

The Throne Room was all silence when Athena finished her rant. Percy had to admit that it was motivating and inspiring. It hit all the triggers that the Olympians would care about. Claiming to show them who was stronger would appeal to Zeus while demanding justice was clearly was Hades was after here. And of course, protecting what was theirs was a direct connection about Percy that would appeal to Poseidon. All of the gods nodded vigorously yes while Zeus stood up and looked around the room at them. Ares started laughing in joy while gripping his sword and swinging it back and forth in a manic manner.

The only one who wasn't glowing with joy or determination was Hestia. She might have been angry with the Devils for their disregard of Olympian rule before but she didn't want war. Not for her family anyway. Not anytime soon. The fire from the Hearth had gone down considerably until Hestia was just moving around red-hot coals that burned in the firepit.

"Well" Zeus said completely ignoring the sad look his sister was sending his way, "the council has a proposal before them. We must decide. Do we declare war on the Devils?"

At first nobody spoke letting the seriousness of the situation take hold. The gods hadn't done much fighting during the Second Giant War as they were mainly dealing with the split between the Romans and Greeks but they would certainly do more this time around. However, they all knew who would take the brunt of this fighting as well. Their sons and daughters would once more be called to arms and, while it has been a couple of months, the same issues they had discussed when choosing to go a diplomatic approach crept up again.

"This act is unforgivable brother. We must have vengeance." was Poseidon's quiet response after a moment. Hades immediately stood up and seconded the vote. Two of the three sons of Kronos supported the notion. Hades might not usually get a vote but seeing as how it was his domain that was broken they decided to make an exception. Zeus looked around the room and saw firm nods from almost every other god and goddess as well. The only one who refrained was Aphrodite who was sad for some reason.

"It would seem we have come to a decision then." Zeus bellowed loudly while thunder and lightning flashed behind him. The Throne Room lit up with the blast of light and Percy squinted his eyes momentarily to avoid the worst of the flash. "Ares, Hermes, inform the camps to begin training for battle. Tell them an injustice has been done the likes of which have not been seen since the days of Troy. We will give the demigods time to recuperate and train but in a few months' time we will send our notice and attack. Nobody messes with the Olympians and gets away with it."

After a moment, Zeus continued giving orders and the gods started getting up and preparing for orders. "Hades, cut off all contact with the Leviathan; they had their chance to negotiate a true treaty and they've now lost it. Aphrodite, step up your search for suitable spouses from the Fallen Angels and Angels. We will see if we cannot convince the Angels to let one half-devil, half-god join us. Poseidon, marshal your son and the cyclops armies. Tell them to pump up production of weapons and army. Use the aid of Hephaestus. Athena, come, we need to discuss strategies and possible targets. The rest of you prepare yourselves. Olympus is at war once more."

Zeus' voice was serious and the gravitas it held was only heard by Percy when they were preparing to vote for his death the first time during the winter solstice when he helped save Artemis. Everyone looked at Zeus before nodding their heads one final time and flashing off to perform their duties. Percy turned away to avoid becoming disintegrating and when he turned around he saw the faces of his father, Aphrodite, Hades, and Hestia remaining. It was Hades who approached first though he still maintained a good distance between them.

"It would seem that you yet live nephew." Hades spoke through clenched teeth. He was clearly still mad Percy was alive. "You do not belong here but I have waited too long a time to finish off those ridiculous bats. I suppose I am willing to make a minor sacrifice for that. But know this, if you step out of line even once as a Devil I won't hesitate to come claim your soul myself. Be careful. I'll be watching." And with that, Hades disappeared into the shadows of a nearby throne.

Percy was stunned by everything happening around him but before he could even say anything Aphrodite stepped up and gave him a swift hug. The demigod was flabbergasted by the action which didn't help his already shocked state. Just when he started to give into the hug though the Goddess of Love pulled back and wiped a few tears that leaked from her eyes. Her beautiful blue eyes at that.

"Oh Percy," said the goddess, "I'm so sorry this is happening. I know about the girls. I'll do everything in my power to prevent this war from escalating though. I know how you feel about them. Perhaps I can arrange the marriage to be the treaty?" she said that last part to herself though it was loud enough for the others to hear.

"I…" Percy began before stopping. "What the Hades just happened here?" he asked out loud. Everything was moving too fast and he was still trying to process it. "And what do you mean the girls?" he directed that last part to Aphrodite who still had some tears on her face but laughed twinklingly at Percy.

"You silly boy Percy" the goddess said teasingly. "You can't fool me hero even if you can fool yourself. I imagine you will start to understand shortly."

"Understand?" Percy said. "Understand what? What are you talking about?" he was getting heated now and the anger in his voice was prevalent.

"All in good time my hero. Be strong Percy. I have a feeling you're going to need it in the next few weeks." was all the goddess replied.

Before he could even question further though the Goddess of Love and Beauty vanished in a mist of perfume. Percy, Poseidon, and Hestia all coughed.

"My lady" Percy said when Hestia stepped up, "I don't fully understand. Why would they just declare war like that? We just got through with one a few months ago." The exasperation in his voice was audible and if the look on Percy's face was anything to go by he was obviously distressed by this turn of events. He had gone from ready to be killed by the council, to being protected by the council, to almost killed by Hades, to then being used as justification for a war against another pantheon. It was obviously a tiring day. Before Hestia could respond though it was Poseidon who stepped up and answered his question.

"Percy" Poseidon began drawing the demigod's attention, "for many years the Olympians have had fairly decent relations with the Christians. It was not always perfect as I distinctly recall some questionable decisions made by the Romans against them but for the most part things have been cordial. Part of that was due to the fact that we had an unspoken agreement between the groups. We would not interfere in any wars or fights the Christian groups had and they would not interfere in ours. Simple really. That includes the dead. As I'm sure you're aware of now, the Devils and Angels can resurrect people and make them one of their own. However, since our dead go to my brother in the Underworld and not their Heaven or Hell it was generally accepted that they would not bring back to life one of our own. They have caused many problems for Hades over the years however with affecting regular mortals who in turn sometimes interreacted with our heroes and tarnished some good souls. Hades hates Devils and Fallen Angels passionately because of this. But never have they broken the agreement. Now, with you, they have. And that is unacceptable. They must pay for that."

Poseidon began explaining quite simply but towards the end he grew heated. Percy could see in his father's eyes the rage that lay just hidden under the surface waiting to be unleashed. He always knew his dad was one of the strongest beings in existence but seeing the pure power that lay ready to be used now reminding him of just how powerful he was.

Hestia stepped up between them then, her gaze directly on her brother. "I agree they must pay brother but at the expense of our own? Why did we not discuss better alternatives? It did not need to come to war and now I fear that we will drive a bigger wedge between us and our children than ever before." Her voice was so sad and Percy found himself wrapping a comforting arm around his aunt. Percy couldn't help admiring her strength and dedication to family despite the second-class nature they sometimes treated her. It reminded him of why she was one of his favorites.

"You know why sister" Poseidon responded. "Hades would demand war either way and at least this way I can protect my son. Ares has been pushing for a fight for a long time now and when Athena began speaking up you knew it was over. She is far too persuasive with her logic. I made the only choice available to me though I hope in time an alternative could be found."

"But you voted first!" Hestia exclaimed furiously. Seeing his eight-year-old aunt stomping a foot in anger made Percy take a step back and the fire from the hearth blazed with flames.

"And if I did not then Hades would have and would have demanded the life of my son as well. Do not deny it sister. His years of solitude have not done our brother any kindness."

Percy could hear here mumble "and whose fault is that" but his father either couldn't hear it or ignored it completely.

"But dad" Percy tried saying in hopes of convincing him otherwise but he saw the look in his eyes too. The rage was still there but also sadness. Sadness of potentially losing a son, sadness over the fates of his family. The rest of the words Percy were going to speak died in his throat.

"I know what you would say my son. But this war is justified for many reasons. And yes, I am angry at the Devils' actions. Hades might be the one to hold grudges but I am not so quick to forgive either. We will give time to the rest of the demigods to prepare but this war is going forth for now."

Percy lowered his head at that. His father spoke with finality informing Percy the conversation was closed for now. He yearned to speak out again, convince his dad that this was the wrong choice of action but he found himself remaining quiet. Poseidon gave his son a look letting him know that he understood his son's hesitation and reluctance.

Hestia turned from the father and son pair and began leaving the throne room. Her head was still slightly downcast and she carried her poker around with her but Percy could see the straightness of her back and the contemplative look on her face before she turned.

"We have much else to discuss Percy" Poseidon saying once more drawing Percy's attention to him. They were alone in the throne room now with nothing but the crackling of the hearth as company but Poseidon's face had lightened up from the seriousness he had a moment ago. He gave Percy a small grin before dismissing his Trident and resting his weathered hands on Percy's shoulders.

"I'm glad you're still alive Percy, even if the circumstances surrounding it have lead us to our current predicament." Poseidon began looking him in the eyes. Percy could see the care and worry in them that never ceased to make him feel warm and awkward all the same. He blushed at the attention and returned a smile to his dad.

"Well you know me, not even death can keep me down apparently." He tried laughing it off. His dad gave him a big grin at the words before patting his shoulder again and turning them to look into the fire of the hearth.

"Much has changed now Percy, you've gained much by being resurrected but you've also lost much too."

Percy looked deep into the coals of the fire trying to contemplate his dad's words. He thought he understood some of what he said but he didn't know the full scope of things. It was just like those days when he was one a quest. The words of the prophesy were right there in front of him but he couldn't always piece it together until the very end.

"I don't understand" he said in response turning to look into his dad's eyes once more. The god turned as well.

"You have lost your mortality Percy. You are no longer 50% human. Your humanity was stripped of you the second you were resurrected. Now you are a devil, though no matter what the devils might have done they cannot remove your demigod nature. In essence, you are now half god and half devil. How the two natures will mix even we gods cannot know. You are the first to undergo this situation."

Poseidon's words hit Percy hard as he contemplated them. He was no longer a human. He father had spoken bluntly but Percy didn't blame him for that. It was usually the best way to get the words across anyway.

"What…" Percy wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to ask in response to that. His dad already said that the gods didn't know what would happen. The Gods weren't the same as the Angels but they both contained godly nature even if it was different. Was it possible for Godly power and Devil power to even mix?

"You are still here so it appears that the two natures are mixing successfully for now. According to the son of Apollo who did a medical check-up on you, you also seem to be doing much better than before your death. Perhaps we should be grateful for minor blessings. Either way know that we will watch your progress carefully. If you experience any kind of pain you must inform me immediately. I will do my best to help." The worry on Poseidon's face was palpable though he still seemed confident Percy would be alright.

But those thoughts lead Percy to another question, one which Hades had raised earlier. "I thought the gods couldn't interfere in demigod lives? Especially you as that would be showing favoritism towards me."

At that Poseidon finally let out a big smile. He gave a hearty laugh and slapped Percy's back with a good hit causing the demigod to stumble forward before regaining his balance. The laughter was contagious though and soon Percy found himself smiling up at his dad as well.

"The Ancient Laws were written to prevent the gods from getting involved in the lives of mortals. However, as I just explained, you no longer have a trace of mortality. That means I can now spend as much time with you as we want!" Poseidon's laugh at that was enough to cause Percy to finally laugh as well and he couldn't help himself. For years he desired to spend some time with his dad and now he could. Sure, he lost his human nature because of it but it gave him a chance to get to know his dad and maybe some of his other family too.

When the two finally calmed down from their laughter they just gave each other big smiles and Percy punched his old man in the arm. He had no idea why he did it. He would never have contemplated that if he was still a demigod. Well he was still technically a demigod but now things were different. Both he and Poseidon looked down at the arm he just hit before they broke down into some more laughter. It felt good to feel that way after everything that happened the last few days. He didn't have to leave his mom, he was now able to spend more time with his dad. The only downside was the war and that thought sobered his laughter up but it couldn't completely remove the smile from his face either. The God of the Seas must have understood what he was thinking because he too stopped laughing and nodded his head in understanding.

"A few last points before we need to send you back my son." Poseidon finally continued. "You will need to act normal to all these Devils you find yourself surrounded with. I know you do not wish for this war but the rest of the demigods' care about you as much as you do for them. You are their leader and when they find out why the war is happening I think you will find more than enough support for it. Don't underestimate your worth Percy. You've saved too many people for them to just brush this aside lightly."

As much as Percy didn't want to admit it his dad had a point. If the situation had occurred to Jason or Nico or Reyna or pretty much anyone else for that matter he would definitely be clamoring for the fight. He was glad it wasn't happening yet and nobody else knew currently however. It gave him some time to think of a possible solution and maybe even some help from one of the most unlikely of goddesses. He simply nodded his head at his dad to answer the unasked question.

"Lastly, we need to discuss your Devil nature. I do not know of this Rias Gremory" Poseidon said that name with no small amount of hostility, "but I have met other Gremory members before. They are strong and powerful within the Devil community. If we were not at war with them I would demand a higher position for you than you currently stand but it is irrelevant and could jeopardize our plans if I did. However, that does not mean that you should not show them your power. Devils respond to power and you have that in spades Percy. You should perhaps get to know some of these Devils to find out what they are like and show them not to mess with you."

Percy pursed his lips in thought to that. It wasn't like him to throw around his power even if he did have it. The people who threw around their power were those like Ares and Clarisse and Matt Sloan from seventh grade. In a simple word, bullies. If Devil society was like that he didn't think he was going to like it at all. He didn't respond to his father who continued on when he realized Percy wasn't going to respond.

"You also should fly. You may have a dual nature as a Devil but my brother is more than likely to smite you if you took to the skies."

Percy's eyes bulged at the thought and he was completely shocked. He had seen the Fallen Angels fly and he had even seen Rias take flight but he never suspected that he too would be able to. Flying was still a big no-no as far as Percy was concerned. His father looked at him in complete seriousness before nodding gravely to the unasked question.

"Yes, you should have wings like the other Devils but it would be too dangerous for you to fly. My brother does tend to get jealous of his domain and you would most certainly not be welcome in it. Best to stay aground."

Percy was nodding his head repeatedly as his father spoke in complete agreement with him. It wouldn't be wise to anger Zeus especially considering Hades was already pissed off at him. Definitely better to keep two feet firmly planted on the ground.

When Poseidon saw that his son understood the situation he smiled again. "Doesn't mean we can't get a look at those bad boys though. Come on, whip'em out."

Percy shook his head no to prevent any kind of temptation of flight but then he felt curious as to what they would look like himself. He imagined himself with the same scaly, black, bat-like wings Rias had and didn't like the imagery at all. It felt wrong on so many levels. But he wanted to know all the same. So, taking a breath, he tried summoning the wings from his back. His metallic armor from Tiamat had disappeared finally so there was nothing preventing him from creating them but they just didn't appear. His father gave him a smile in encouragement though Percy could also see the laughter he was keeping pent up behind it. He figured once he was gone his dad would probably laugh at him.

Percy didn't know how to summon his wings. Forcing it didn't feel right and trying to imagine himself with wings wasn't seeming to be working either. Which left only one choice really. He closed his eyes and just let the power flow through him; much like how a stream flows to a river and eventually the river to the sea. It was how he ended up discovering a lot of his powers actually. Percy could feel something start to sprout from his back and before he knew it there was a heavy addition causing him to lean forwards slightly in balance.

When Percy looked forward he saw a proud look on his father's face and couldn't help feeling proud himself. He figured out his powers all by himself without anyone else's help and that was always an exhilarating feeling. Turning his head slightly he was caught surprised by a pair of long wings on both sides of his body that began at about head level and extended far down his body to about his knees. They were a mix of midnight blues, almost black if you looked too quickly, and dark green that reflected light off their surface. Percy could feel that they were hard like coral but still flexible enough to move and defend with. He grinned to himself in response.

"Now those are some beautiful fins. You look good my boy. The Triglidae will most definitely be jealous."

Percy knew who the Triglidae were as he'd helped a few of them off the coast of Camp Half-Blood before. They were also called Sea Robins or Gurnard though they usually preferred their actual name. Looking closely, he could see the resemblance between their fins and his wings. At the points where his veins met came a sharp knife-like point that the Triglidae would inject a poisonous substance into their prey and the flair out of the fins gave off the appearance of wings themselves. His wings were definitely larger than bat wings and he had the same sharp points where the layers met though he didn't think there was any poison in them as his body didn't normally produce any.

Both father and son stared wonderingly at the wings for a moment before Poseidon stepped forward and got his son's attention. In response Percy immediately retracted his wings on instinct and felt himself smile at how amazing that was. He would have to play with them later.

"And now Percy, I need to send you home. There is much to do and your mother will start to get worried I am sure." Poseidon added that last part in with a hint of amusement. Something told Percy he already knew about the lecture that was coming his way. He sighed at the thought but nodded just the same.

One last time Poseidon rested his hand on Percy's shoulder and the demigod prepared himself for leaving. He heard Poseidon's final words as he was whisked away back to his home.

"I am proud of you Percy. And Tiamat? Watch out for my son."

The next thing Percy knew he was in the light that transported him home.

 **AN:**

 **Hey guys. Glad to be back and posting again. Thankfully my work busy season has ended and I'll have a bit more time over the coming weeks.**

 **Anyway, a lot happened here so let me know your thoughts. A longer chapter to hopefully make up for my absence. A lot of foreshadowing was thrown in so hopefully some of you will pick it up. It's always fun to see you guys try and guess what's going to happen.**

 **I will admit that I'm surprised only a couple of you thought the soul bound in the sacred gear was Tiamat. Yes I know she isn't bound in canon but that's why this is fanfiction. Hopefully you guys will be able to guess what his sacred gear is when I reveal it. Probably in the next two or three chapters depending.**

 **Thanks for reading and as always check my account to see when the next anticipated chapter is to be released.**


	14. Chapter 12: Vulgar Exorcists

Chapter 12: Vulgar Exorcists

Rias Gremory sat on her comfortable, Victorian style couch watching her best friend and Queen look down at the chess board lying between the two of them. Akeno was trying to observe how she was going to get out of the situation she managed to get herself trapped in but in a few short moves she would be defeated no matter what she did. The game had actually started off much different than usual with Akeno choosing to go with the Queen's Gambit play. Normally Rias would have simply sidestepped it and gone with the traditional Orthodox Defense but she was feeling more adventurous today and instead choose the Queen's Gambit Accepted move. It was perhaps more reckless than she was used to but she found herself acting a bit more reckless lately. Ever since she had brought back to life her latest servant anyway.

Which brought her to her current predicament: the conundrum that was Percy Jackson. Ever since she brought back her latest servant she had expected at least some sense of gratitude from the man. Granted she hadn't actually brought any of her other servants back to life, though some were close to dying, but she did offer a new one away from the pain and misery they had endured before and they were all happy with this. Rias always strove to be the best King she could be for them all, providing love and care for each of them. She new how bad their lives before this were and she swore that wouldn't be the case with her. She treated them all like her family and they all acted as such.

"Rias?" the voice of her best friend said. The redhead was immediately pulled from her thoughts and realized that Akeno had finally made a move. And a good one at that as it left her the maximum amount of moves before Rias could take her King.

"I'm alright Akeno. Just lost in my thoughts" Rias said while picking up and moving a rook to the far-right corner of the board.

"I'd say. Any more scowling and I'd think I might actually beat you this time." Akeno teased self-deprecatingly. Maybe her Queen already realized that she would lose this round too. Her black-haired friend was dressed in a relaxing red silk kimono with black and white stripes going across garment. Her legs were tucked off to the side and she was sitting on them on top of the couch opposite Rias. Rias couldn't help but smile at her friend.

"So, do you want to tell me what you're thinking about?" Akeno continued as she picked up a pawn and moved it one space forward in hopes to make it to the other side. "Maybe about our absentee black-haired American perhaps?" She said that in the teasing voice she used when she wanted to rile somebody up but Rias heard something else in that voice too. Something she didn't quite recognize in her friend though she wasn't sure what exactly.

"I still can't believe he didn't go with Kiba and Issei. I told him I'd be sending people to get him this morning." Rias found herself picking up her bishop with a bit more force than she meant to and overtook the pawn Akeno just moved.

"Yes, but didn't you say that he also told you no then too?" The teasing in Akeno's voice was gone and now only curiosity resided. Rias could hear the care in Akeno as she spoke and felt herself relax in her friend's company.

The Devil Heiress let out a loud sigh at that. "Yes, he did say that. I just didn't actually expect him to follow through with it. He clearly knows a bit about the supernatural world already but he doesn't know our world Akeno. He needs to come to us so I can help him understand and teach him." Rias found herself lowering her head in worry for her Pawn. Percy had definitely proven himself capable of fighting but that wasn't the issue. Lone Devils could be problems for a whole host of reasons. They could of course go rogue and become monstrous strays, though she didn't think that was likely with him. However, they were likely to be ambushed by either Angels or Fallen Angels and with the disappearance of one of their own recently, that Dohnaseek fellow, the Fallen Ones were probably more active than usual. It could spark a war between the groups which would be terrible. Rias didn't know what to think if she or her servant was the reason a war started.

Akeno looked at Rias solemnly and slowly nodded her head in agreement. She didn't say anything further but Rias knew the girl understood what she was getting at. Percy was one of them now and they protected one another no matter what.

"You seem to be taking a bit more interest in this servant than your last" Akeno finally said after a few more moves were exchanged. The busty, black-haired girl seemed to realize that in two short turns it was over and she would lose. Again.

Rias grimaced at the thought of her other Pawn, Issei. He was very rough around the edges and was abnormally focused on women's bodies though Rias supposed she could blame that on teenage hormones. Or at least she hoped she could. Both Akeno and Koneko in addition to herself had been subject to his lustful leering already and while it might have been funny in the beginning it was slowly starting to upset both other girls. Being complimented and getting attention from others was nice but outright sexual objectification wasn't the way to endear oneself to women. However, one thing that Issei had going for him was his earnestness. He might have sucked at being a Devil but he did try his best. Hopefully in time he would improve.

"Percy feels… special" Rias answered her after a moment's pause. She brushed her long flowing hair out of her face and smiled at the thought. He hadn't even done anything with his Devil powers yet and he was already proving to be strong. She knew given time he could easily become a top Devil if he worked at it. And Rias had every intention of helping him achieve that.

"Special hmm?" The tone Akeno used while saying that drew Rias' thought back. It was teasing again as if her friend knew something nobody else did. She did love making fun of others.

"You should have seen him fight the Hydra Akeno." Rias followed up with. "He was fast and quick with his strikes. He reminded me a bit of Kiba using his Knight abilities though not quite as quick. And then when the Hydra turned his attention on me and tried to attack he used some kind of ice shield to protect me. I don't know if it was as strong as Sona's but it was definitely thick as the Hydra couldn't get through it." Rias trailed off at that remembering that fight.

It definitely surprised her as she knew Greek monsters were very rare but Percy stayed calm and collected throughout the fight. He devised a plan in a matter of seconds and did most of the work against the beast. And his sword. Rias couldn't help but feel the danger from that blade. Kiba could summon any devil sword he wanted and they each held an aura of danger but that sword Percy used… she had a feeling it was more than just a simple blade. Power radiated from it and the glowing bronze gave off an eerie feeling.

"Well if it is anything like how he fought against the Chimera then I understand. His fighting style was so unorthodox but each strike he made seemed to get the maximum efficiency and deadliest wounds possible." Akeno responded. She seemed to be thinking back to her own experience of watching Percy fight.

Both girls were so lost in their own thoughts they didn't hear the door to their clubhouse open and Kiba, Koneko, and Issei stepped through. All three Devil servants looked at one another taking in the scene before them as Issei grew a lecherous grin on his face. Koneko rolled her eyes at the Pawn and stepped away to put some distance between them and Kiba brought his hand up to slap his forehead in exasperation.

The Pawn took a few steps forward and leaned over the couch looking down the red Kimono Akeno was wearing. The front of the gown was stretched tightly over her large breasts and left a slightly open gap at the top. It was enough to show off some cleavage and Issei could see the tops of Akeno's beautiful melons.

Rias finally snapped out of her trance remembering Percy and raised her eyebrow at the scene in front of her. Issei directly behind Akeno looking down her dress with eyes as wide as the moon and drool starting to leak from his mouth. Her Pawn was mumbling about Ta-Tas and touching one when she saw his hand start to reach over the couch in a grabby manner. His hands opened and closed in anticipation of copping a feel.

Knowing that Akeno would probably be uncomfortable with that but probably tease him about it all the same she moved to prevent that situation from happening. "Oh, there you are Issei" Rias said finally regaining her complete composure. Her words drew Akeno out of her own thoughts and the Japanese girl turned her head to look up at the salacious male behind her. Rather than jumping back in shock though she gave her fellow servant a grin wide enough to match his own. Rias shook her head thinking about how much her Queen enjoyed playing with others.

"Oh President" Issei said quickly scrambling to stand straight and not make it look like he was trying to grope Akeno. He failed. "I was just admiring Akeno's breasts – I mean chess game. You sure know how to play with your pieces." Rias shook her head at Issei's words and let out a light laugh at his ridiculousness. Akeno turned to look at the board and noticed that Rias had finally moved her final piece, the Queen ironically, into position for the checkmate. Rias gave her friend a smile and a wink to let her know that she was just joking around and wasn't trying to insult her.

"Thank you Issei. Now tell me, are you ready for your contract tonight? I know the last one didn't go quite the way you wanted but you have to do your best to please the customer."

Rather than get flustered though Issei instead got excited and brought his fist up in determination. He looked like one of those anime characters from the dragon show he's mentioned before but Rias found it more funny than stupid.

"You betcha President. I'm gonna get that contract tonight for sure. Then I'm gonna get all boobies! I gotta work hard so I can be the Harem King!" His voice rose at the end and Rias saw both Kiba and Akeno look at him incredulously while Koneko rolled her eyes at him. Her Rook did seem even more hostile to Issei than the others. Maybe because of those incidents with him peeping on the gym class.

Rias gave Issei a smile in response. At least his enthusiasm was high. Hopefully with that kind of attitude he would succeed tonight. "I'm sure you'll get there Issei. Here's the address. Make sure you head over there right after you finish handing out those flyers." She pointed to the backpack he left at the side in the room filled with the flyers they used to secure contracts.

"You got it President!" he said again before grabbing his bag and making his way out the door. As he left he quickly turned around one last time to say something only for the door to be slammed in his face. Koneko stood just behind it with a piece of chocolate in her hand and mumbled the word "pervert" before she joined Akeno and herself on the couch. They could hear Issei say "ow… I'm ok" from the other side of the door. Kiba shook his head fondly at the scene while Akeno brought her hand up to her mouth to laugh lightly into it. Rias couldn't help a small smile appear on her face either.

After a few moments of silence Rias looked at all her remaining present servants. She was reminded of the absence of her second Pawn when she thought up an idea. The Heiress turned her head to look directly at Kiba who looked down at his master in expectation.

"Kiba," Rias began, "did you get Percy's address from Tsubaki and Sona?" She had already been there but she just remembered asking her Knight to perform this duty yesterday night before she confronted Percy with Akeno and Koneko. She relied on Percy's mind to guide them to their destination then and now that she had been there she didn't really need it. But she did ask Kiba to do it and it was always important to follow through when giving orders. Kiba nodded his head with a smile still on his face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out a postcard size paper that was gently folded in half then quarters. The organization screamed of Tsubaki.

"Yes, President. She seemed reluctant at first but was more than happy to give it to me earlier this afternoon when I explained the situation." Yes, that was just like Tsubaki and Sona.

"Good. Akeno, you'll need to get dressed into your school clothes again. Kiba, Koneko, get ready to teleport." Rias continued.

"President?" Akeno questioned standing up. She had gone back to the more formal way of addressing Rias now that the others were back.

"Well if Percy isn't going to come to us then we'll just have to go to him. Plus, I'd love to be there while his mom lectures him on having girls in his room." Rias said that last part while smiling teasingly. Akeno seemed to share her sentiments as she too smiled and hurried off to get changed.

Percy Jackson didn't understand everything he was a part of now and if he wasn't going to make things easy on her then she wasn't going to make things easy on him. And, she found she really did like his mom. In a matter of moments Akeno was back and she had created a magic circle to transport everyone to his house.

(Line Break)

When Rias and the remainder of her peerage stepped out of the magic circle that brought everyone to Percy's house they looked on at the building with admiration. It was beautiful. The exterior was designed completely from white marble that didn't seem to get dirty at all and the staircase leading up to the front door was ornate with intricate carvings in the surface. Akeno gave Rias a light nudge in the arm drawing the attention of the King to the windows. They were large and spotless but Rias thought it was more of what was happening inside that was why Akeno pointed it out. Standing in the living room was Sally Jackson and she was looking down at her sitting son with a very disappointed face. Rias could see Sally's arms moving up and down and she was pointing at Percy for something and Percy had his head hung down in shame. Rias assumed this was the lecture Sally had promised this morning. She couldn't help the soft chuckle that escaped her lips even if she did feel bad.

But that only led her to the confusing thoughts as she recalled breakfast with the Jackson-Blofis' this morning. When both Percy and Rias had gotten ready and gone down to eat she had tried to work her magic on the mortal woman. She'd done it countless times before but for some reason the only person the magic worked on was the husband, Paul Blofis. Sally had eyed Rias for a minute as if assessing her worth but she must have passed some kind of test because Sally had immediately pulled her into a hug and put her in a chair while she finished making breakfast. Rias tried again a moment later and it did seem to affect her briefly but before Rias could even direct her thoughts and words to the woman her magic wore off again. Rias was still puzzled as to why that was. Instead she went with the simpler route and just explained about school. And now Percy was dealing with the aftermath or her magic not working properly on his mom.

A moment later Sally pulled the sitting Percy up and gave him a big hug that caused him to smile as well. Rias could admit that he was rather good looking and the fact that he was taller than her was nice. She didn't let herself dwell on those thoughts for long though as she scowled remembering her pending supposed betrothal to the Phenex clan and that asshole Riser.

Both Kiba and Koneko were still observing the house and she turned away from the window when she saw Percy pull away from his mother and head into the basement. The lawn in front of the house was greener than any of their neighbors and Rias saw a beautiful garden in the front under the left-hand side windows. The sun had mostly gone down and the moon was beginning to rise then when a small little flower drew her attention. It was starting to glow pure silver in the night sky and had petals that gave off the most alluring scent. A mixture of cinnamon and sea breeze was wafted in the air when she focused on it and she felt like she was on a tropical paradise.

Pulling away from the garden she grabbed the hands of both Koneko and Akeno and made her way up the stairs to the front door knowing Kiba would follow. The door was a deep shade of ocean blue and the golden trident knocker seemed a little odd but it was very impressive all the same. Maybe a little gaudy but after talking with them all this morning something told Rias it wasn't exactly Percy or his famiy's choice to have it that way.

Taking a deep breath, Rias raised her hands and used the trident to knock on the door. The sound was surprisingly loud for the little amount of force Rias actually used. Behind her she could feel Kiba looking up at the balcony above them held up by Grecian columns while Koneko shuffled her feet to the left of her. A moment later the front door was opened and the smiling face of Paul Blofis was looking down at them. He jumped initially as if he wasn't expecting Rias specifically but quickly his grin grew and he welcomed them.

"Rias! It's good to see you again. Are you here to see Percy?" The happiness that radiate from the man was obvious and it was clear he was hoping yes was the answer. Rias smiled back at the teacher and nodded.

"Yes, Paul. We were hoping we could come and see him. I know it's a bit later in the day but we weren't able to see him after school."

That seemed to cause a little bit of consternation for Paul as he grimaced and nodded his head. "Yes, unfortunately Percy had another… commitment that he was required to attend to after school ended." Paul said the word commitment as if it was the most distasteful word there was. Rias tilted her head in a questioning manner but before she could say anything Sally stepped up and took notice of them.

"Oh, Rias. I didn't know you'd be back today. Please, come in, come in. No need to stay outside." Sally was waving her arms in a come forward motion and gathered the peerage inside in a matter of moments. She was dressed in a long floral maternity dress with a sweater over her arms to keep warm. Her pregnant bulge was protruding out and she now rested her hands on top of it rubbing soothing circles on her belly. Rias remembered Sally complaining this morning about how Percy's baby sister just didn't want to come out early.

"Rias honey, who are your friends?" Sally asked when everyone was safely gathered indoors. Next to Rias Akeno stepped forth and bowed down politely to both Paul and Sally.

"Hello Mrs. Blofis, Mr. Blofis, my name is Akeno it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for having me in your home." Rias knew that was Akeno's Japanese manners that was leading her to be a bit more formal than she might normally be. Then again this was the first time she was meeting either of them so it was to be expected.

Sally was taken aback by the greeting and it appeared she didn't really understand Akeno's Japanese all that well if her confusion was anything to go by but she quickly recovered and pulled the girl into a hug. Now it was Akeno's turn to be shocked as she clearly didn't expect that kind of reaction. Rias could see the look of surprise on her face but Akeno seemed to give into it quickly and hug back briefly.

While Akeno was hugging Sally Kiba stepped up next and introduced himself. "Hello Mr. Blofis, Mrs. Blofis. I'm Kiba Yuuto. It's very nice to meet you both." Kiba had spoken in English when he noticed that Sally didn't seem to understand Akeno completely and stuck out his hand for Paul to shake. It was the American way of greeting someone.

"It's nice to meet you too Kiba. I've heard good things about you from the teachers in your class. I hope I'll be able to teach you myself one of these days." The smile on Paul's face when Kiba spoke in English was wide and Rias could see he was grateful for Sally's sake. The woman had just let Akeno go and quickly pulled the small Koneko into a hug herself while Koneko muffled out a quick hello also in English. Rias felt glad that she made her servants learn English when she first started them in the peerage.

"Are you all here to see Percy?" Sally asked hopefully when all the hugging and greeting was done. Rias could hear the hope in the woman's voice when she asked that. It made her feel somewhat sad that Percy seemed to be struggling to make friends. It did seem odd though as she knew for a fact that the girls from the Kendo Club had talked about him quite frequently. But now that she was here she would get him involved in the peerage and he would have them.

Around her Akeno and Koneko and Kiba all nodded and Rias confirmed that. "Yes, Sally. We were trying to get him to come to our club meeting after school but he ran off before we could convince him. According to Paul, I guess he had some sort of commitment he had to go to?" Rias partially asked in hopes that Sally would elaborate on her husband's words. Unfortunately, Sally just pursed her lips in a thin line as if she didn't approve of that before confirming the words.

"Yes. He had a meeting with his father he needed to attend for some reason. He didn't give me the details." It was clear that Sally had mixed feelings about Percy going to see his dad but that wasn't what surprised Rias. It was the simple fact that Percy even knew his father that blew her away. When she had first started following him around she had asked for some information from Sona and the Sitri heir had confirmed that there was no father listed in his school records. There was only Sally and Paul his step-father. When Rias had done a bit more digging she found out that the birth certificate that showed his record of birth didn't even contain a name for his father. Rias assumed that meant Percy didn't know who he was which is clearly not the case.

"Oh" was all the Devil could follow up with.

After a moment of awkwardness Paul spoke. "Sally, why don't you wait at the table while I finish up dinner? It'll be ready in a minute. Would the rest of you care to join us?" Koneko nodded her head before Rias could even respond and started making her way into the dining room. Paul let out a chuckle at that and ushered everyone inside the kitchen just adjacent.

As Rias made her way down the hallway she took in all the little knick-knacks and portraits on the wall. She didn't get a very good look at them last night as she was more worried about Percy and this morning she was more focused on figuring out why her power wasn't working on Sally. But now she could see everything and she had to admit they were very cute. In many of the photos were various ages of a younger Percy with Sally standing behind him and her arms wrapped around his body in a tight hug. They were laughing and smiling as if they didn't have a care in the world. The ocean was a constant theme in the background and it appeared to be the same photo every year with just different ages. Rias found herself smiling at how adorable Percy was and how much love existed between him and his mom. She was so caught up in looking at the photos that she didn't notice everyone else had continued onwards until Sally came up behind her and saw what she was looking at.

"That's Montauk" Sally finally said startling Rias. The King gave a smile to Sally in response to which she received one back.

"You both look so happy there" Rias said turning back to look at the photos. Percy was definitely carefree and his windblown hair only made him cuter.

"We were" Sally mused wistfully. She looked at that photo with such love and tenderness that Rias couldn't help but hope she'd find that kind of feeling one day too. "Every summer I'd take a couple days off of work and we'd go to a cabin at that beach. We'd play in the sand and relax and swim. And then at the end of the trip we'd get together and take a family photo. Him, me, and the sea. It's one of the only times I've ever been able to get him to stand still for a few moments." Sally laughed self-deprecatingly at that and Rias saw a lone tear stream down her cheek. Rias couldn't help but notice the happy smile on her face yet the sadness her eyes shone.

"Is Paul the one taking the photo?" Rias asked after a moment. Sally seemed to be getting lost in memories but Rias' question drew her back.

"Hmm? Oh, no. I didn't meet Paul till a few years ago. No, I usually asked a fellow beachgoer if they could take the photo."

"Not his father?" Rias asked pressingly. She knew it was intrusive but after finding out that Percy knew about his dad she wanted to know more. Plus, she viewed it as her duty to know the past of her servants so she could better help them.

Sally frowned at the thought but shook her head no all the same. "No, Percy's dad was lost at sea when he was younger. It wasn't until recently that he made his way back." Sally gave a soft laugh at that. Rias thought that maybe she was just trying to make both herself and Percy feel better by saying he was lost at sea rather than he left them. The idea that Percy had been abandoned sent a shiver of anger through the Devil.

Before either could continue with the conversation Paul's voice echoed into the hallway. "Sally? Dinner's ready hon. Come on in." Rias could smell the food in the air and she had to admit that it was appealing. There was some kind of meat aroma floating in the air mixed with the scent of garlic and some other herb she couldn't identify. All the same it caused twin rumbles to erupt from both herself and Sally. Rias looked down in surprise at her stomach's reaction but Sally just smiled at her and pet her arm pulling her into the kitchen.

As they entered Rias noted that Kiba, Akeno and Koneko were finishing setting the table of dishes while Paul had place some kind of pan with a mixture of noodles and meat in the center. The dish was layered delicately in a red sauce that she knew was to be mixed together and Rias saw a loaf of bread already cut up ready to be eaten. Rias walked Sally over to the dining room table and helped Percy's mom into a chair.

"Paul, can you call Percy. He's downstairs in the basement." Sally said after settling in. Both Kiba and Koneko had taken seats though Akeno was still helping Paul put the remaining dishes and utensils on the table. Paul nodded his head but Rias saw her opportunity to see her Pawn.

"I can call him. I'll be right back." She said swiftly moving back into the hallway and towards the basement. She could hear the voice of Sally tell her that wasn't necessary and Sally then urged Paul to go and do it but Rias had already reached the door by then. Just as Paul quickly shuffled into the hall Rias opened the door and took a step downstairs. She could make out the voice of Paul trying to shuffle her back up but music drifted upstairs helping to drown him out. Pretending to not have heard her host Rias descended down the staircase wondering what was going on.

The scene she came to made Rias raise her eyebrow while a small smile appeared at the same time. Percy was shirtless leaving his numerous scars noticeable on his torso. He was standing tall swinging his sword in some kind of fast lunging motion. He seemed to be practicing the depth of the lunge because each jab forward was at shorter and then longer intervals. Every stab forward allowed his taut muscles to expand and every pull back caused them to contract making it look like his was flexing.

Rias could admit that he really was handy with that sword. It took Kiba quite some time to get to his current level and, though he had a natural talent for it from his sacred gear, a lot of his skill depended on the speed he relied on from his Knight abilities. It was clear however, that Percy honed his skills from years of hard work.

She then turned and took in the surrounding room he was in and couldn't help raising her brow further. It was a fairly large room with plenty of open space to move around in. She assumed that was most likely due to the armory that seemed to double as an arena however. All along the walls were racks of spears and javelins and swords. Some were made out of wood though there were a few that were made out of a tan metal; copper or bronze most likely. In the center of the room was a circular area made out of a soft, white sand that Percy was gently flowing his feet through. Just outside the circle were latches in the ground for placing some kind of post. She noticed that along the far wall there were wooden dummies that appeared to be designed to fit into that mold. Pennants hung down from the wall of tridents and fish and horses and in the dead center of the room hung a pure white banner with a large horseshoe – she thought it might have been the Greek Omega – with glittering golden flakes lighting up twelve spots within the symbol. She wasn't sure what it was but the banner felt right in the room, like it was designed by a master weaver and placed where it would draw the most attention.

Music was blaring from the corner closest to the staircase and it was quite loud. Some kind of American band was singing lyrics to a rock song. It was curious as the music was obnoxiously loud but when she was upstairs not a single sound had made it through the door. Clearly the room was designed to prevent sound from escaping which seemed a bit odd but considering that Percy seemed like an odd person who trained with weapons wasn't truly shocking. Paul finally made his way down the stairs and stood next to Rias with a guilty look on his face before he shuffled over and turned off the music. Rias could see that Paul expected her to have a lot of questions, and admittedly she did, but it was far from the craziest scene she ever walked in on.

"Percy" Paul began, "it's time for dinner. Clean off and come on up." Percy looked up at Paul and when he spotted Rias his eyes widened in surprise before he relaxed and nodded is head. He gave Paul a look and a meaningful head nod that seemed to put the step-father at ease and Paul turned and slowly made his way back upstairs.

The Pawn eyed the heiress for a moment and opened his mouth to say something only to close it a second later. He scrunched his eyes at her before letting out a heavy sigh and turned around to go to a sink in the back of the room. Rias stepped up to follow.

"You know, when I told the others I had no intention of joining I meant it. Why are you here Rias?" His face put on a stern expression but there sounded something like a hint of resignation in his words just the same. Rias frowned at that thought.

"Percy, you are a devil now. The world is much larger and more dangerous than you know. I'm going –" her words were cut off by a sharp laugh that escaped him. He had finished washing his hands and face in the sink – which was shaped in the style of a seashell – and gave her a smile. She initially felt angry at being cut off like that but his eyes were so mesmerizing she got lost in the swirls. They seemed to exude power and demand attention. If she wasn't careful she could seemingly get caught up in the storm she imagined flickering in his eyes.

"Rias," her Pawn said, "I think I already know a bit about the world. We did fight against the Hydra, didn't we?" Percy pointed at something behind her and when Rias turned around she saw a room to the side that had the door open. Inside Rias could make out the head of the Hydra sealed in a case along with the horns from the Chimera Akeno saw him defeat resting on the wall. It seemed to be some kind of trophy room for the "treasures" he says he won. He had moved the items from his room down to the basement and while she was tempted to enter and look around she had to focus on her pawn right then.

"Yes, I understand that. But Greek monsters are extraordinarily rare. I doubt you'll see one again." She found Percy smiling at her with a raised eyebrow but he hadn't said anything else so the King continued. "I'm talking about the other factions though Percy. You've already met two of the Fallen Angels and you've seen how dangerous they can be. We Devils need to stick together. We might be at peace but that doesn't mean the others won't attack if they think they can get away with it as we saw with Dohnaseek. Let me help you Percy."

She tried to put as much earnestness in her voice as she could and she meant it. Percy was her responsibility even if he didn't acknowledge it and she really wanted him to join her peerage. Not to mention that he was clearly very strong. Percy scowled and looked like he was about to speak but Rias cut him off before he started.

"Look, I know now that you said that you didn't want me to resurrect you and I'm sorry. I honestly thought you would want to continue living and that you were trying to make a contract with me. But what's done is done. You are back now and you can't tell me you aren't happy to see your mom and step-father. I heard how excited you were about your sister about to be born this morning Percy. We, the rest of peerage and I, want you to be part of us. We can be your friends. I will help you get even stronger with your new Devil powers. My peerage is my family Percy; in more ways than one. You are part of my household now but you already mean a lot to me personally. But I won't force you to do anything."

Rias found herself trailing off at the end of her explanation. Her voice was still firm and confident but she also felt a hint of trepidation as well. She never showed the others any sense of apprehension and yet here she was asking for this man to join them all willingly after she made a mistake. And she meant every word she said. She would help him get stronger. She would take responsibility for him. Her peerage was family and she would do anything for her family. _Well almost anything_ she thought to herself thinking back to a certainly asshole fiancé. The Pawn didn't say anything after she finished. His earlier scowl was gone and now the ever-uncertain blankness of the sea his eyes resembled so much returned.

"Why is it so important I join you?" he asked. "You have other _servants_ " he said that mockingly, "who I'm sure are more than happy to help you. You don't need me." Percy had crossed his arms over his bare chest and gave her an expectant look.

"They are not servants" she answered back somewhat coldly. "Yes, they are technically servants and I give them tasks to do, but they are so much more than that. They are my friends and they've been through a lot as well. It's a lot more than about need though Percy" she said. "Like I said before, it's about protection and learning. You are part of this world more intimately now and you need to know how to function in it. And you are strong too. That strength will make you a target to others."

He didn't say anything but took in her words. She didn't know what else she could say to convince him though. Just when she thought he was going to say something he grabbed his shirt hanging from a rack built into the side of the wall and threw it on. His silence was unnerving to the powerful devil but she maintained a respectful if somewhat desirable look. She wouldn't lie to him or herself that she wanted him in the peerage.

"I can see that you really mean it" he finally said as he pulled her arm and they began making their way to the stairs. All Rias could do was nod firmly in agreement.

"Alright," he said when they reached the stair landing. "I'll give your group a test run. If for no other reason than to make my mom happy." He smiled at the thought of pleasing his mom. But then he turned to glare at her and spoke forcefully. "But don't expect me to be some kind of simple pawn you can just order around. If this group will really help with protection then I suppose I'm open to it."

Rias gave out a weird cough noise that was somewhere between a sigh of relief and laughing at his lack of information. She didn't think tonight was the time to tell him about her evil pieces though. Instead she smiled at him and brushed his arm teasingly. His glare vanished as his cheeks tinted with a flush and Rias laughed at the adorableness of it.

"I promise you Percy that you'll find everyone to be friendly and helpful. I really think you'll get along with the others."

"And Issei?" the Pawn asked. "What about him? Frankly put, he pisses me off."

Now it was Rias' turn to sigh. _Best to get this over with now_ she thought.

"Yes, Issei is part of my peerage and his behavior still continues. We mostly just ignore it. He still has a lot to learn but he's enthusiastic and hopefully with time he'll grow up a bit." She said that with a grimace. She didn't believe that herself and with the way Percy was looking at her she didn't think he believed either.

"If he aggravates me I'm gonna beat the shit out of him." Was his response. He didn't look like he was joking.

Rias sighed but nodded her head. "Just don't hurt him too bad."

Percy gave her a predatory grin and walked up the stairs.

(Line Break)

Dinner was mostly a quiet affair with everyone eating their share. Sally had consumed a very large plate of the noodle dish – American Chop Suey they had called it – while Paul only had a small portion. Percy had gorged on two helpings of the meal while Kiba had politely eaten his one plate. Herself, Akeno, and Koneko all took smaller portions than the others but ate their fill nonetheless. The food tasted as good as it looked and smelled.

As the meal was nearing its conclusion Rias noticed that Paul looked like he wanted to say something but was holding back. The mother of her Pawn was sitting in her seat finishing the dish but had a knowing look in her eyes. Rias couldn't help comparing similarities between Sally and her own mother. The mortal woman was clearly just as perceptive as her own and she had a lot of influence if she was able to prevent Paul from speaking out like he seemed to want to. It was Akeno who broke the silence though.

"This was very good Mr. Blofis. Thank you for allowing us to eat with you." Her Queen bowed her head again in thanks. She had switched her language to English which caused Sally to smile and Percy to jump in shock. He too smiled at her when he realized she did it for his mother's benefit.

"You are welcome Akeno." Paul responded turning away briefly. He kept looking back and forth between Percy and herself and she felt some amusement at how uncomfortable and confused he must be feeling after the encounter in the basement.

 _He probably is expecting me to be shocked_ she thought. _I'll have to bend his mind again into thinking everything is completely normal_. She knew she'd have to do that with Sally as well.

Akeno then stood up and started grabbing empty plates from people. "I'll do the dishes Mr. and Mrs. Blofis. It's the least I can do to thank you." Sally tried standing up to prevent the Queen from doing chores but Paul laid a gentle hand on her arm and Sally sat back down. She was a good host.

"I think we should talk Percy." Rias said as Koneko and Kiba both stood to help Akeno with the cleaning. Percy had finished putting the last of the noodles in his mouth and looked at her but when Rias shot a quick glance at Paul and Sally Percy nodded his head.

"Yes, I think so too. I should get to know everyone else if we're going to be hanging around so much." Rias thought his words might have underlying meaning but she let it go. Percy was still skeptical about everything even if he did accept the fact that devils and angels exist fairly easily. Percy rose then only to have his mom grab his arm.

"Remember our talk earlier Percy" Sally said giving him a light squeeze. "Why don't you guys go hang out in the living room. It'll be much cozier with plenty of room in there." Rias could hear that the suggestion wasn't really a suggestion. Percy grimaced in remembrance to his conversation and nodded before heading off into the kitchen to help the others. This was Rias' chance. She was now alone with both his parents and started laying the groundwork for her manipulation powers.

Rias looked at both parents and they her. Drawing a deep breath, she unleashed the power from her eyes and began the manipulation.

"You are both completely acceptable to having myself and my peerage in your home. We are all devils and that is completely ok with you. We are friends of your son and we don't mean him any harm. We have free access to anywhere in the house to do anything we need to." Rias felt her power wash over Paul like a wave over sand. He was easy to mold how she wanted and he accepted her words without any issues. Sally, on the other hand, was proving to be more difficult. She was somehow resisting her powers like she did this morning.

"What… who… no…" Sally whispered trying to fight Rias' ability. The Devil stepped up her powers and forced more effort into her manipulation.

"Sally" Rias began again after she felt like she had done enough to overpower the woman's surprising defenses, "it's ok. Everything is alright. Percy is a grown man now and he can make his own decisions. You want myself and the peerage in the house. He'll be alright." She thought maybe that was why the woman was resisting so much.

"Please" Sally struggled to say as Rias' words washed over her, "my baby boy… Don't… hurt him. He's been through… too much."

The words caused Rias to frown in thought. She knew Percy was bound to have some skeletons in his closets – everyone did – but she didn't have time to dig into that now. "I won't hurt him Sally. It's ok. I will take care of him. I promise."

It seemed like that was the right thing to say though as Sally stopped resisting and nodded her head in agreement with her husband. Rias let out a sigh of relief when her power finally worked. She'd have to make a mental note to ask her parents about why it was so difficult to alter Sally's mind when she next saw them.

Just then Percy and the rest of her Peerage emerged from the kitchen. She noticed Akeno had a light blush on her cheeks and was eyeing Percy up and down smiling behind a raised hand while her Pawn had a face as red as a rubber ball. Knowing Akeno she probably did something to embarrass him and was enjoying the resulting expressions. Rias felt a flair of anger twinge in her stomach at the thought but quickly forced it down. She didn't know why the thought of Percy alone with Akeno bothered her so much but she was the King, she wouldn't let it get to her.

"So, we're all finished mom. We're going to head into the living room now." Percy began walking into the hall and towards the living room when Rias' voice halted him.

"Actually," Rias said "I think we should head into the basement to talk. It's a bit more private down there."

Percy spun around and shook his head in disagreement but then his mom's voice spoke out and surprised him. "No. It's ok Percy. Why don't you head into the basement for more privacy?" Sally's voice was slightly dreamlike as she spoke and Percy immediately turned to her and took in his mom's status. She was still seated in her chair and Paul was nodding his head next to her in agreement. "Yes, that is a good idea Percy. Go into the basement to talk." Both were speaking the typical trance-like words that Rias' always noticed happened when she altered mortal minds. Percy gave them a thorough once over but it didn't seem like he could figure out what was wrong with them.

"Mom," Percy said, "are you alright? Didn't you just say a minute ago to go into the living room?"

Sally nodded and responded. "I did. But then I remembered that you are an adult now and can make adult decisions. You and your friends can go anywhere in the house." Sally was giving a dopey smile but her demeanor quickly reverted back to her normal behavior relieving some tension that Percy was obviously feeling.

"That settles it" Rias said rising from her seat. Akeno, Koneko, and Kiba all joined behind her and she moved forward wrapping her arm through Percy's. "We'll be in the basement then Sally. Just give a holler if you need anything." Sally nodded her head as if that made complete sense and Paul helped her rise herself. Together both parents made their way into the now vacant living room to watch television.

"What was that about?" Percy asked watching his parents move into the other room. He eyed Rias and the others suspiciously but the Devil King just gave him a comforting smile.

"I just told her that you're growing up into a respectable young man who can entertain his friends appropriately. She must have agreed." Her Pawn just gave her another confused look before sighing and untwining his arm from hers. Before he could comment further on it Rias started walking towards the basement. "Come on Percy, we have much to discuss."

(Line Break)

When Percy finally made his way down the stairs he noticed that the rest of Rias' Devils had stepped further into the room and were looking at everything in awe. Rias had made her way to his little trophy room he found when he got home from Olympus and where he kept all his spoils of war. Akeno and Koneko both were staring at the pennants and banners hanging on the walls and were admiring the designs on them.

Most he assumed were done by Atlantean nymphs at his father's order but the huge white banner with the symbol of Olympus was clearly done by a child of Athena that inherited his or her mother's mastery of weaving. It was so skillful it might even have been done by the goddess herself though he didn't think that was true. Kiba went straight to the racks on the back wall and were staring at the few swords there. The Celestial Bronze glowed brighter as he approached.

"Ok Rias," Percy began drawing everyone's attention, "what did you want to talk about?" He was going straight to the point as he didn't really like them snooping around his training room too much. If they started asking too many questions about the banners and weapons he knew he would have to lie to them. Especially considering they were now pretty much his enemy, as much as he didn't want to acknowledge that. But his father did tell him he needed to get along with them and try to act normally until they were ready. And Percy figured at some point he would have to give in and join them anyway. There was that famous saying after all: 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.'

Percy went straight into the sand arena in the center of the room and watched as everyone gathered around him. Kiba was still eyeing the weapons on the wall as if trying to figure them out and Akeno and Koneko both were just looking at him. Though Akeno seemed to have a hungry look on her face while Koneko kept glaring at him when he made eye contact only to give soft kitten eyes when he turned away. Rias finally stepped out from his trophy room and asked a question.

"What are all those treasures?" she asked first. It wasn't what he expected her to ask but he felt himself slightly smile in thought about them. He nodded his head and figured he'd answer her question. Slowly, he started making his way over to her and the others fell in line behind him.

As everyone filtered into the room he couldn't help but admire the set up of his treasures. He felt Tiamat resonate with his thoughts and it seemed she was smiling as well. The room was a deep shade of sea-green with hints of glowing silver mixed in. All the colors were swirled together perfectly and while it might have looked like a child painted it if anyone other than the gods had done it, it was actually one of the most beautiful displays he'd seen. It reminded him of his father's throne room back in Atlantis with its regality and majesty.

Throughout the room were pedestals and casing to fit his treasures. The outside of the pedestals were pure silver and Percy noticed pearls and coral and other sea gems intricately placed around each one. Before he first brought down his spoils they were simple pedestals that he noticed in the room but once he actually placed the treasure down he noticed that they changed to fit the theme of the spoil. On the pedestal that held the Hydra head was a raising that fit the head perfectly with a silver bowl underneath to capture the leaking Hydra poison. The front of the pedestal showed a faint sketching of Percy slicing the head of the beast with a picture of Rias behind him with her glowing hand and a fierce expression. Rias seemed to be seeing the same thing he was and he heard a faint gasp escape her.

"President?" Kiba asked hearing her gasp. "Is everything alright?"

Rias took a moment to compose herself but quickly she adopted the relaxed and confident posture Percy had grown used to seeing on her. "I'm alright Kiba. Just was surprised by the picture is all." The others all looked down at the pedestal then and noticed what Rias was referring to. Both Kiba and Koneko did a double take when they saw the image though Akeno seemed to have already known what happened as she merely smiled at him. He felt his face flush remembering how she "accidentally" splashed some of the spaghetti sauce on his face earlier and used her finger to wipe it clean before seductively licking it off.

"Is that…" Kiba trailed off once he looked at the head. Percy didn't think he knew exactly what it was so he took pity on him.

"That's the head of the Lernaean Hydra. Rias and I fought him last night." His statement caused Kiba to turn around suddenly and look right at Percy. Percy stepped back at the unnatural speed of the movement but before he could question it Kiba started talking.

"You guys fought a legendary monster from the Greek Pantheon?" Percy felt himself gulp afraid of what might be said next. He simply nodded his head in confirmation refusing to look at Rias. "Man… that's awesome!" Kiba gave him a big smile then and Percy let out a deep sigh. He felt himself smile back in response and Kiba gave him a slap on the back before looking at the head of the monster again.

Koneko had made her way over to the horns of the chimera that were hanging from a plate design on the wall. The plate showed off his two encounters with the monsters. On the left side of the plate was when he stood defiantly against it and Echidna on the St. Louis Arch when he was twelve and the right side showed his much more recent encounter when he finally killed the beast. One horn to reflect each time his battled it. He smiled at the thought when Akeno interrupted him.

"You fought against it quite bravely. I saw you from the bushes. I thought it might have gotten you a couple of times but when I saw you finally drive your sword through its neck…" Akeno spoke those words like they were the most sensual she had ever said. Her eyes turned glassy as if remembering the fight and she brought her arms across her body giving herself a big squeeze. Percy looked down and saw that the action caused her already large breasts to bulge out further. If he didn't know better he might actually think the thought of him slaying the Chimera was arousing to her.

"Percy" Rias said from the other side of the room. She had made her way across the feathers from his fight against the Fallen Angel and a couple of the Hellhound pelts he left resting on a shelf closer to ground level. The others started making their way over there and Percy followed already suspecting what she might have seen. "Which treasure is this one?" she finally asked.

When Percy walked up he found his suspicions were right. Hanging from a similar plate on this wall was none other than the horn of the Minotaur. The picture on the plate showed his wild ride on top of the bull-man where he snapped the horn off his head just before he killed it. Thalia's pine was in the background and Percy could make out flakes of powder off to the other side of the picture that he knew was the essence of his mom. The thought of losing her again snapped him out of any potential of going down memory lane with this spoil.

"That's the horn of the Minotaur." He said quietly. There was no other sound so everyone in the room heard him but they seemed to understand that this spoil meant a bit more to him than the others. Fortunately, rather than pry into the details they let it go.

"I see" Rias said after a minute of silence. She was taking in the details of the picture on the plate though she too didn't question him. Percy felt grateful for that right then.

"You have quite the collection" Kiba said then. "Based on the pictures you seem to be a swordfighter. Would you care for a spar?" He asked that innocently but Percy could tell he wanted to gage just how good he was. Well Percy had been dying for an actual real life sparing partner since he got here so he wasn't going to turn down this opportunity.

He smirked back at Kiba and accepted. "I could use a good fight. You're on pretty boy." Kiba smiled back and everyone began making their way out of the trophy room ready for the training match.

"So," Percy began, "how do you want to do this? It's our first training match so we should probably use the wooden swords first. We can always grab the real metal if we feel we can handle it."

Kiba only shrugged in response. "I'm ok with real metal but if you want to use wooden swords first that works for me."

Percy thought Kiba might be trying to goad him a bit but when he looked over he saw his fellow devil had a completely serious look on his face. _Guess that's just the way he talks_ Percy thought to himself. Together, both devils made their way over to the wooden sword rack on the wall and grabbed swords that suited them.

Percy grabbed a wooden sword almost identical to Anaklusmos. It felt lighter in his hands but the thickness of it offset most of the weight so it was similar to his normal blade. Kiba on the other hand took a few minutes to choose a wooden blade he liked. He tried a few that were similar to Percy's but he apparently didn't like those and quickly returned them. After a few minutes Percy saw him pick up a bastard hand and a half sword that extended about four and a half feet. It gave him an extra foot and a half reach compared to Percy but Percy knew how to handle that.

When they both had got their practice weapons they walked into the center of the sand and were about to begin the match. Koneko stood to the side and was apparently going to referee the fight.

"How do you want to do this?" Kiba asked when then were both ready. "First to land a fatal blow? Or do you want to go until we just run out of stamina?"

Percy thought about it for a minute before deciding that he really wanted to get a feel for his new partners style. "Let's just go until we run out of energy" he responded back. In response, for the first time, Percy saw Kiba give a smirk at that.

"That's fine by me" he said. "Koneko? Will you do the honors?"

The young petite woman nodded her head at that and raised her arms to signal the fight. Percy felt himself tense in anticipation and saw his opponent do the same. Kiba had gotten into a high stance which left his body turned slightly to the right side and his sword was raised high above his head with both hands on the wooden blade. It was a power stance meant to drive Percy into the ground with force. That surprised Percy as Kiba's body seemed designed for quicker speed attacks but maybe he was just trying something new. Percy responded by getting into his typical Greek Hoplite stance. He might not have his shield but the same principle applied.

"Begin" Koneko said completely monotone. Percy expected Kiba to move first but when the devil didn't move Percy narrowed his eyes. It seemed Kiba was probably a bit more of an experienced fighter than Percy anticipated as normally novices charge immediately. More experienced fighters wait and let their opponent come to them. When Kiba stood still Percy knew he was going to have to initiate this fight.

Just as he was about to charge though he heard Rias from the side yell to stop the fight. She was looking at the side wall opposite his sink as if she was seeing something that was happening. Percy made out a frown on her face and was about to ask what was wrong when Kiba beat him to it.

"What's wrong President?" he asked.

Rias didn't answer right away but when she did Percy noted the seriousness in her tone. "Something is wrong. Issei is in trouble. Everyone, gather round and prepare to travel to his location." Next thing Percy knew there was that giant red circle on the ground in the center of the arena.

He stepped forward and into the circle with the others as Rias looked worried. The Redhead was the last to enter the circle but when she did there was a bright flash. Percy closed his eyes in reflex thinking about his family but when he opened them he saw the familiar background of his basement.

"Umm… well that was exciting but are going to help out that pervert?" he asked the others around him. Koneko snorted in response though Percy saw Rias looked even more worried then.

"It seems they've set up a barrier to prevent us from traveling to him." She answered the question. Percy felt Rias tense up next to him and he grabbed her shoulders in response. He gave them a squeeze and she looked back at him with big blue eyes. He really did like those eyes.

"It's going to be alright Rias" he said to her trying to offer assurance. "Can we transport to just outside his location and just barge in that way?" he asked hoping he might be able to spark some kind of idea. Unfortunately, she just shook her head negatively. "Ok then maybe we can keep trying to get in this way. The barrier can't last the whole time." This seemed to give her some of her confidence back and she nodded.

The redheaded devil took a deep breath and formed another circle. This time it was vertical and looked like it was meant to be run through. Kiba did just that at a slight head nod from Rias and he charged through the circle. The first time, he just ploughed right through to the other side of the circle not going anywhere. So, he tried again. And again. And Again. After about five minutes of trying Kiba ran through the circle one more time and actually disappeared into it. The second Percy saw Kiba go through the circle he was hot on his tail.

Traveling vertical through the circle felt slightly different than when he just teleported in it with Rias last night but when he finally made it through he found himself staring down a grisly scene. Kiba stood in front of him locked in combat with a black sword against a white-haired man only a couple of years older than Percy. He had red irises and was dressed in clerical garbs though the smile on his face was psychopathic. The sword the white-haired man was using seemed to be made of light much like the Fallen Angel had used and Percy realized it was probably the same.

Percy took in the rest of the scene and found it beyond disturbing. Issei was kneeling down in the corner holding his knee that seemed to be bleeding. However, when Percy looked down there was way too much blood for a minor injury like what Issei obviously had. Something else had clearly drained the blood of someone and if Percy was a betting man he would pick the man locked in combat with Kiba. But all of that was merely small stakes compared to the scene Percy saw along the wall. His eyes widened in shock at that.

When Percy got a good look at the wall he saw none other than Asia Argento seated against it after what appeared she was pinned up top by a sharp object. Most likely that sword of light. Percy could see that Asia had her clothes cut down the middle exposing her entire upper body: breasts and all.

"Asia!" Percy found himself shouting before he even knew what else was happening. Akeno quickly filed through the circle then was followed by Koneko. The blonde-haired nun looked up from the floor at his shout and Percy could see the tears pool in her eyes. He felt anger at the asshole who did this to her and even though Issei might have wanted to look at her Percy knew the pervert wouldn't do this. That left only one culprit.

Before Percy even knew what was happening he had surged forward and drew Riptide from his pocket. His heart was racing with adrenaline and his eyes were narrowed on his target. His blade thrummed with the power of the gods and when the white-haired freak saw Percy approaching he quickly disengaged from Kiba ready to meet Percy's strike.

"So, blondie here has a boyfriend? I figured the weak devil in the back was the boyfriend as he seems so familiar with that kneeling position but maybe I was wrong. Tell me, do you prefer pitching or catching?"

"The only thing I prefer is cutting your head off!" Percy shouted back in response. Behind him he could hear Rias finally make her way through the portal and Asia began talking to him from the wall.

"Percy!" she shouted in her girlish voice. Percy feared that any sense of innocence she might have once had was dead after tonight when this dickhead probably groped her. He turned his head just slightly to see her in his periphery and noted the hand mark on her chest. This only incensed him more and Percy felt his strikes become stronger and quicker. The white-haired man seemed to be struggling to keep up with him but he somehow found a way.

He could make out Rias telling Akeno to make another circle to head back to the clubhouse while Rias was assessing Issei. Kiba seemed to want to jump into the action but with Percy and the priest's wild duel he didn't have a good opportunity.

Finally, just when things were starting to get out of hand, Percy noticed that the man was slowing down. He was clearly getting tired and the manic smile he once had was now a vicious angry look. He had tried to comment a few more times but whenever he opened his mouth Percy merely pressed him harder forcing him to focus on defending. With that, he feinted to the left before using one of the very first sword moves he ever learned: the disarming technique Luke taught him in his first week at camp. It was simple really as Percy had the shorter blade and simply stepped closer towards the priest and ran his blade down the priests. With a flick of the wrist he spun the sword out of the priest's hand in the direct of Kiba.

"Grab it" Percy shouted at the blonde devil and glared furiously at the priest before him. He looked frightened now though Percy could still see madness in his eyes. Percy was breathing heavy but his pointed his sword directly at the neck of the priest and began talking.

"Who are you?" he asked first.

"I'm none other than Freed Sellzen! Exorcist extraordinaire and purveyor of beautiful nun's bodies." Percy growled at that but didn't let him get under his skin too much. If Percy could deal with Ares he could definitely deal with this asshole.

"Asia" Percy then said a bit more quietly. He was pissed off and furious but he wouldn't take it out on his new friend. Especially if what he suspected happened actually occurred. "Asia, did he touch you?" Percy didn't take his eyes off Freed though he knew Asia was nodding her head sadly. Her lack of a verbal response only confirmed it for him. Behind him it seemed Rias was done with Issei and the others stepped up with her.

Blind fury overtook Percy and without saying anything further he brought his sword back and swung with as much force as he could right through Freed's neck. He expected resistance but the next thing Percy knew his blade passed right through the man. His eyes widened in shock. Freed's too before the mad priest laughed and suddenly pulled out a gun from his robes and pointed it right at Percy's chest.

"You're mortal?" Percy asked completely surprised.

"And you're dead devil scum!" Freed laughed manically and pulled the trigger.

Everything happened in a split second then as Percy heard both Rias and Asia yell out his name while Kiba tried to push Percy to the side. None of that saved Percy though. No, what saved Percy was the blue armor that formed on his chest completely stopping the bullet in it's track. He still felt the impact of it though and felt himself fall over backwards from the unexpected force of the bullet. His sacred gear had activated just in time allowing him the protection he needed though he figured he was still going to have a massive bruise on his chest tomorrow.

As Percy slowly got up he saw Akeno form another magic circle while Koneko threw a bureau at Freed. Kiba sat in a defensive position ready to defend both himself and Issei who was seated on the ground near Akeno.

"Nobody hurts one of my servants" Rias said as Freed tried to dodge the bureau. Her hands glowed with her dark power and she threw a few balls of it towards the priest who somehow avoided them.

"Fallen Angels are here" Koneko said suddenly and Percy saw a strange portal appear on the ceiling above them. Nothing had come through yet but Percy figured it was only a matter of moments until one did.

"The portal is ready President" Akeno said in response.

"Koneko, grab Issei and get to the circle." Rias said then. The short white-haired girl picked up Issei like he was a sack of flour and threw him over her shoulder as she stood in the center of the circle. Kiba quickly followed suit and then Akeno. Rias made her way over to Percy before extending her hand and helping the demigod up. He was still in shock at what happened but he knew he had to get out first and then deal with the fallout.

"Asia! Come on! Let's go!" he yelled to the blonde nun. She gave him big eyes before smiling at him apparently thankful he was still alive.

"Only those of my household can travel by my magic circle Percy. I'm sorry but it wouldn't work." Rias said solemnly. She looked like she really regretted saying it.

"We can't just leave her!" he shouted back at the redhead.

"We have no choice!" Rias shouted back. The magic from the circle started working then as little flair ups of light sparkled around them. Percy was about to jump free from the circle when he stopped in his tracks at the voice of Asia.

"Go without me. Please go. It's ok Percy" Percy heard quietly from the side. Freed was reloading his guns with more bullets. "I'll be alright. I'll see you soon. Trust me I will." She looked so confident in that fact yet Percy could still see the tears in her eyes. She was pulling her nun outfit tight across her body to cover up but even with all that he saw one last smile from her.

"No! Asia!" Just as Percy was about to leave the circle though the teleport magic worked and the next thing Percy knew he was gone.

(Line Break)

When Percy stumbled out of the circle he was in a large room that was stylized in the Victorian fashion. The furniture was antique and fancy and Percy saw a chess board on a coffee table between two couches. None of that mattered though and he collapsed to the ground and brought his armored fist down hard on the tiled floor. He failed to save Asia and while this wasn't the first failed mission he felt this one hurt a lot worse for some reason. Probably because he saw Asia as such an innocent girl.

He pounded on the floor a few more times when he felt hands wrap around his shoulders. He looked up through hard eyes into the face of Akeno who gave him a sympathetic look. Slowly, the anger he was feeling was dissipating as those violet eyes stared back at him in understanding. Akeno sat down on the ground with him then and gave him a hug which he eagerly returned. He barely even knew this girl but somehow, he felt that she truly understood his feelings.

After a few more moments of hugging he slowly pulled away and stood up. He was still in his armor but he willed it away realizing he no longer needed it. Rias was seated on the couch with Issei still clutching his knee though it appeared both Koneko and Kiba had left.

"I'm truly sorry Percy" Rias finally said when he met her eyes. Percy could see the blueness in them had taken on a watery aspect which Percy assumed meant she was sincere.

"What the Hades happened!? Who was that guy?" he asked after composing himself. He gave Rias a nod acknowledging her apology though he was still angry about the situation.

"That was an exorcist. Priests who go around destroying devils. He could have done a lot of damage tonight if we hadn't acted when we did." She looked down at Issei who had somehow managed to fall asleep despite the pain he was in a few minutes ago. It was then that Percy noticed a dark light emitting from Rias' hands over Issei's knee. He assumed she was healing him somehow.

"Exorcists huh? Are they all that vulgar?"

"No, I think that was just a quirk of this particular one." Akeno chimed in. She took a seat opposite Rias and pulled Percy down next to her curling up into him. He didn't really think anything of it his mind too focused on the exorcist and Asia.

"What was Asia doing with an exorcist?" he found himself questioning aloud. He meant to ask that in his head but the words just slipped out before he knew it. Rias raised her eyebrows at his question.

"She's a nun that follows the Fallen Angels apparently. And how exactly do you know her?" There was a hint of something in her voice though Percy couldn't identify what. The question didn't sound nearly as innocent as it might have been.

"She's new in town. I bumped into her today and walked her up to the church…" at that both Akeno and Rias hissed and clucked their teeth.

"You took her to the church?" Akeno asked incredulously. Percy looked at her funny before responding.

"I just said that. I walked her up before I left." He trailed off at that not wanting to get into the meeting with the Olympians.

"Percy" Rias began in a slightly scolding tone, "it is extremely dangerous for a devil to go anywhere near any church. Didn't you feel uncomfortable as you approached?"

Percy thought back to the afternoon when he had gotten closer to the church. He remembered a strange tingling in his body though he just chalked it up to Athena being near. He never even considered it was because of the church. Tiamat did warn him that the beings in the church would want to attack him but he never really considered why that was the case.

"I… there was this tingling feeling" he said at last.

"Those were your devil instincts Percy. You can never go near the church or it's members. They will attack you. Remember that." The redheaded devil said back. Nobody spoke further after that with Rias healing Issei, Akeno tucking herself into Percy's arm and Percy lost in deep thought not realizing what was happening.

After a few more minutes Rias stood up and spoke. "Akeno, please form a circle to Percy's house so he can get some sleep, then you head home yourself. I will need to stay the night with Issei to make sure his wounds completely heal."

Akeno then stood up also and nodded her head. Percy was still deep in thought but when he suddenly felt the lack of heat on his left side from Akeno he looked up and saw Rias' face looking at him.

"That means Asia too Percy." She finally said. That immediately got Percy's attention.

"What!? But Rias, you saw her, she's completely overwhelmed by it all. We need to get her out of there. Is there nothing we can do?" Percy had jumped up looking at Rias from a standing position. He wouldn't leave that girl behind no matter what. Even though they spent only a few short hours together she was more of his friend than anyone else in Japan. And Percy Jackson never turned his back on his friends when they needed him.

Percy thought Rias could see the determination in his eyes but all she said in response was "hmm… there might be something I can do. We will have to see." It was cryptic and vague but Percy was determined.

"Look, whatever it is Rias, just let me know. I'll do whatever I can, just… we can't leave her there with them. She's too good a person." Percy trialed off on that.

"It will depend a lot on Asia Percy. But we will see in the coming days. For now, head home and get some sleep. We can discuss more about what happened tomorrow." Rias had a glint in her eyes and Percy knew she saw his sword pass right through Freed. He gave a heavy sigh knowing there was going to be a lot of questions tomorrow.

"Fine Rias" he responded back. One thing he decided was he wasn't going to call her President like everyone else. She had a name and he was going to use it. She didn't seem bothered by it and immediately scooped up a sleeping Issei in her arms before creating a magic circle herself. Akeno had formed one on the ground that Percy assumed was meant for him and made his way over to it. The black-haired girl ran her arm up his when he entered the circle giving a reassuring squeezing and a soft smile to him. He responded in kind.

"Oh, and Percy" Rias said as the circle started working it's magic. He looked up at the redhead in answer to her words. "When I send Kiba to fetch you tomorrow, actually go with him this time." She gave him a smile to let him know she was teasing and Percy found himself let out a small chuckle at that. He still felt like a failure but if there was a way Rias could help Asia he would do anything he could to make it happen. With that parting thought, Percy was whisked away by magic circle once more.


	15. Chapter 13: Missing

Chapter 13: Missing

 _Percy found himself staring at a place he didn't think he'd see again anytime soon. He stood atop a familiar hill that overlooked a wide valley with rows of strawberry plants off to left with a large, sky-blue house directly in front of him. The Big House he recognized. He realized this was a dream when he found himself floating rather than walking down the hill._

 _Camp was surprisingly empty as he made his way down into camp proper. It was mid-April, getting close to May at this point, so some southern schools were starting to finish up while a lot of the northern schools were going on April vacation. Knowing that, Percy expected to see at least most of the campers here getting ready for the summer but after making his way past the volleyball courts, pegasi stables, and the arena themselves and not finding anyone Percy didn't know what was going on._

 _As he made his way through the cabins though he finally heard some shouting in the distance. There was only one other place the campers would have gathered together at this time of day and Percy immediately started floating there as fast as he could. He could begin to hear shouting the closer he got to the structure._

 _The amphitheater was truly one of the most amazing creations of ancient Greece as it allowed every audience member to hear anything said from the front. Proctors, lecturers, and actors didn't need to shout as they previously needed to as the design of the amphitheater created perfect acoustics. And it was all thanks to limestone seats. Making the entire structure out of the simple stone actually improved the design so nobody was left out. The ancient Greeks didn't quite understand why this was the case but the Athena cabin certainly did which is why the amphitheater at camp was created the same way. It was very nice when the Apollo cabin put on plays or they held Karaoke competitions but it was quite awful when everyone was shouting like they currently were._

 _When Percy finally made his way into the amphitheater he found every single camper gathered together with Chiron and Mr. D stood at the front and Hermes floated in the air with his winged sandals directly in front of them. Mr. D had his usual nonchalant demeanor while Hermes had more of an angry expression on his face. Chiron looked downright crushed at whatever was just announced._

 _Looking at the campers' expressions, Percy saw everything from disbelief, to sadness, to helplessness, to pure fury. A group of younger demigods were clustered together seated in the bottom rows. Percy recognized Rebecca Locasta, that daughter of Hecate he met back in December when he first announced his trip. She had tears in her eyes and looked to be on the verge of breaking down. Seated not far away from them was a majority of the Hermes cabin with the Stoll brothers looking at their father in complete shock. Their open jaws and wide eyes showed the surprise they clearly felt._

 _Katie Gardner sat close to the Hermes cabin with her brothers and sisters in Demeter and while she too looked sad the rest of her siblings looked more scared than anything. Miranda Gardiner and Billie Ng were acting as if the world was ending and they didn't know what to do. Considering they'd lived through the world potentially ending, twice, Percy thought they were taking whatever was announced a bit too hard._

 _However, what really drew Percy's attention was the people standing up and shouting, and there was a surprising number of them. In one end of amphitheater he saw Sherman Yang with the rest of the Ares cabin standing tall. Sherman had just yelled something and the rest of cabin five shouted agreement with it. At the opposite end stood Annabeth and her siblings from the Athena cabin. Annabeth looked downright murderous and was vigorously nodding her head in agreement with Sherman. It was never a good sign when Athena and Ares agreed on something. Usually people died._

 _Seated directly in the center was Nico and Will Solace with Will's brothers and sisters around. They looked upset and angry as well but mostly they seemed reserved. It didn't take Percy long to figure out that he was looking at the reaction from the campers to the new upcoming war._

 _"We know that you are tired of fighting" Hermes said when the others quieted down somewhat. His voice never raised but it did hold an edge to it that cut off the more outspoken remarks._

 _"Then why do we have to prepare for another war!" shouted someone from the Athena side. It wasn't Annabeth so Percy could only guess it was one of her sisters._

 _"I love a good fight but even Ares knows we cannot fight forever" Sherman spoke again. Many of the campers nodded their heads in agreement._

 _"Maybe not" Hermes said in agreement but continued on, "but I think everyone here would fight for the right cause."_

 _"And what would that be Lord Hermes" Annabeth finally said. She was still standing and Percy could make out a new Camp Half-Blood shirt on her. Her hair was tied in her familiar pony tail and her necklace was snug around her throat._

 _Hermes looked directly into her eyes as he spoke as if trying to drive his words home. "Percy Jackson has been killed."_

 _Percy groaned out loud at the announcement. He really didn't want to witness this event. All the campers immediately fell silent at the god's words and those standing had taken a seated position. Annabeth looked like someone had punched her in the gut and she was having trouble breathing. Percy could see her mind whizzing about a hundred miles an hour trying to process Hermes words._

 _"Percy was in the act of saving a mortal from a monstrous beast and he bravely sacrificed himself to save the boy." Hermes continued when he saw nobody else was speaking. The demigods were in too much shock to formulate some kind of sentencing._

 _Nico finally stood up and glared directly at the god. It drew the attention of many of the campers though Nico looked unfazed by the eyes on him. He confidently strode forward and looked up at his cousin._

 _"Will and I have seen and talked with Percy. He's still alive Hermes. Don't lie about what happened to him to start another war!" Nico's words were harsh and his glare harsher. Percy had seen that look on his cousin only a few times and it always gave him a shiver at the malice it hid. Nico really was Hades' son._

 _"What!" many of the other campers yelled. The grumbling and shouting started up again and they in turn glared down at the god expecting him to reveal the truth. Hermes was the god of thieves and liars after all. Who better to construct an intricate lie than him? Even some of the Hermes cabin, who had remained quiet up till this point in respect for their father, showed disappointment for the god. Greeks didn't get along that well after all._

 _"The son of Hades speaks the truth" Hermes said loudly then. He turned his own glare towards the campers causing not an insignificant number of them to turn aside. The grumbling continued but Hermes own anger seemed to have overridden their own. "Why don't you share what you and the son of Apollo discovered when visited him Nico. I'm sure they'd all like to hear the details."_

 _Nico refused to give into the god's glare but he gestured for his boyfriend to stand up and join him, much to Will's consternation. He was another demigod that didn't like attention, much preferring to heal others and remain in the background. Will took a deep breath when all eyes turned to him._

 _"We visited Percy the day before yesterday when Nico felt his presence enter the Underworld." The demigods were caught up in rapt attention listening to Will explain what happened. "When Nico went to investigate what happened down there he couldn't find Percy's presence anywhere and nobody was allowed to give him proper answers. All at the command of his father apparently. So, we tried the next best idea and visited Percy at his new home. Needless to say, we were both shocked when he strolled in the doors as if nothing had happened."_

 _"What happened then Will Solace" Hermes said when Will seemed to trail off. The god's urging didn't make Will look comfortable if his facial expression was anything to go by._

 _"Well" Will continued, licking his lips in nervousness, "I gave Percy the standard check-up I usually give demigods. The Apollo cabin has most of his basic information memorized as his health situation is fairly unique even among demigods but when some of his standard results had pulled complete 180's I ran a few other examinations I usually only do for beginning check-ups. Percy's results were… well let's just say that he wasn't the healthiest of demigods before with all his quests and whatnot" a few of the campers winced at that thought, "but he was practically the epitome of health now."_

 _"The bottom-line is that Percy is alive and well now." Nico finally interjected. He still didn't know all the details apparently and Percy could see his anger with that but otherwise he seemed content in the knowledge he was ok._

 _"That is not the bottom-line di Angelo" Hermes said forcefully. He matched Nico's heated glare with a furious look of his own and Percy could see the god struggling to not strike Nico down for his disrespect. It was actually Annabeth who spoke up then and she seemed to have regained some of her composure now._

 _"Why did you say he was dead if he is healthy now Lord Hermes?" The demigod daughter of Athena asked._

 _Hermes turned to look at Annabeth and Percy could see some of the heat leave his eyes. He gave her a slightly pitied look before speaking again. "Because Annabeth, Percy did die. He entered the realm of Hades and was judged for Elysium. It was his third time." Many of the demigods gasped at that realizing its significance. A few mumbled phrases of "third time" and "Isle of the Blest" were heard and Percy saw Hermes nod his head in acknowledgment. "Right when Percy was about to enter his well-deserved Paradise he was whisked away against his will. Brought back to live unjustly. As a monster."_

 _If there were gasps before they were put to shame by gasps now. Percy didn't really think of himself as a monster but he supposed to some extent that was accurate now. He was part devil which he would have classified as monster a few days ago. But he reminded himself that not all monsters were bad. There was Tyson and Ella who were good, his pet Hellhound Mrs. O'Leary who was the kindest dog/monster hybrid he ever met. Even Chiron was a centaur who were classified as monsters. The announcement didn't really bother him as much as it could have though he didn't appreciate it being announced like some major reveal._

 _"A monster?" one of the younger campers asked quietly. Percy didn't think he meant to ask it out loud but with the amphitheater being as acoustically advanced as it was the question echoed throughout. Hermes didn't respond but merely nodded his head sadly instead. Even Nico looked completely taken aback by the announcement which caused him to stumble down and sit in his seat again._

 _Annabeth had a look of horror on her face and Percy could make out a few tears in her eyes. She never cried in front of people but she was clearly struggling to hold it in now._

 _"Percy is still a demigod" Hermes continued, "but he is also now what is known as a devil. Yes, like in the bible." He said that last part when a few of the campers gave him curious glances. Chiron gave the god a sharp look himself as if he understood the situation, which he probably did with all his years of knowledge and experience, but it didn't seem as if the other campers picked up on their mentor's reaction._

 _"The devils have a society of their own that they run. For those that don't know, it was originally our hope to unite our peoples together and make a pact. That is why Percy was originally sent away from camp. However, instead of being open to joining forces and creating peace, they have spat in our faces and brought back to life one of our leaders against his will and broken the Ancient Laws." The god was getting worked up again but this time many of the other campers seemed to understand why he was upset. Percy could see them beginning to sympathize with the god and get angry themselves._

 _The angriest though was Annabeth. Percy swore he could see the fire in her eyes at Hermes words and somehow, he knew she was going to be a problem for him. He vowed to send an Iris-Message to her as soon as he could._

 _"Instead of peace," Hermes said, "they have insulted us. This is why there must be war. If the devils think they can do this to one of our best children what's to stop them from doing it again." Percy thought that was actually a pretty good touch by Hermes by making it seem like the gods cared a lot for their kids. Then again Hermes was one of the better known godly fatherly figures so maybe he really thought that way. He could see many of the campers nodding their heads in agreement and now many were standing up and shouting for vengeance for the insult._

 _It didn't seem like everyone was convinced though as a few of the older campers and some of the very young ones didn't look like they wanted to fight in a war; or another war in the case of the older campers. The Ares kids all looked ready for a showdown and Annabeth was yelling at her sibling, slowly convincing them that they needed to fight, though Percy suspected she was mainly using it as an excuse to find him. Pollux was sitting next to Leo and the Hephaestus cabin and while the cabin itself look ready for a fight both him and Leo didn't look like they wanted to. Percy didn't exactly blame them._

 _However, everything came to a standstill when a young girl with black hair and glowing green eyes stood up and started walking toward the front of the amphitheater. It was Rebecca and Percy could tell that this wasn't something she would normally have done just based on the one week he spent with her during break. The demigods who were angry looked at her in confusion and some hostility while the ones who looked reluctant gave her weary glances. Percy saw her take a deep breath and begin speaking causing all other talking to die out._

 _"When I first found out I was a demigod I was both happy and sad. Weird things have happened around me my entire life and listening to people bully me and call me names was never fun." Percy balled his fist in anger to her words finding himself relate to her much more intimately than before. He noticed a lot of the other campers do the same. "When Hecate told me in a dream that she was my mother and that there was a place I could go that would help and protect me I was shocked. She said that she didn't originally want to send me there as many of the campers used to be the same as the outside world."_

 _Rebecca paused a moment letting that sink in and Percy saw some of the older campers look down in shame or sadness. It wasn't entirely true but at the same time Percy knew things were far from perfect for the campers of minor cabins either._

 _"I asked her why she mentioned it now if she didn't want to send me and she told me that things were starting to change. New cabins were being built and the gods could actually claim their children and give them a safe place. I was surprised to say the least but when I asked what happened all she said was that some foolhardy hero saved the world and asked the gods to claim all their children and send them to camp."_

 _Percy rolled his eyes at that having never met the goddess herself. A few of the campers gave slight smiles at Rebecca's words._

 _"When I first got to camp" Rebecca continued, "I wasn't really sure of anything. I was chased by monsters, tired, and bloody from scrapes and fighting. But when I first entered the Hecate cabin I'd never felt more at home in my life." She smiled at the thought and many of the others had faraway looks on their faces remembering the first time they entered their own cabins too. Percy remembered how right it felt when he entered the Poseidon cabin for the first time._

 _"I started asking about the hero my mom mentioned and I got snippets from some of the older campers. I remember Julia Feingold saying that she heard he killed a Kindly One for his first monster. Kayla Knowles talked about how he helped Clarisse save camp and return the Golden Fleece. And then I heard about how he saved so many people in the wars. He took on Kampe, and Hyperion, and of course Kronos and Gaia. I was shocked to say the least."_

 _"But when I met him he was nothing like I thought he'd be." Rebecca chuckled while a few of the other campers did as well remembering Percy. "He first tried to trick me but he turned out to be so kind and nice. He… he was modest and humble" Rebecca started to let a few tears stream down her face at that. Percy remembered his encounter with the daughter of Hecate with fondness._

" _He introduced me to Peleus and told me I didn't have to be scared of the dragon anymore. He told me…" Rebecca was crying more visibly now and she was shaking with sadness. Despite that though her voice was clear enough to be heard by everyone even if she did stutter a bit. "He told me that we were family and he would do anything for his family." Rebecca trailed off after that slowly making her way to her seat still crying. Percy remembered just how young this girl really was and realized just how much of an impact his words had on her._

 _Chiron looked down at Rebecca as she took her seat and a few of her sibling joined her giving her a big hug. Percy felt glad that he managed to bring everyone together with his wish. Though he now regretted saying those exact words to the demigoddess. If anyone had any major doubts before, this girl's words just sparked resolve in everyone._

 _Annabeth jumped up then and looked everyone in the eyes. Percy knew that look well. She was determined and based on earlier it seemed she had made up her mind that this war was right. Convincing her otherwise now would be extremely difficult to say the least, especially if she got as stubborn as she occasionally did._

" _Rebecca is right. Percy always put family first, even when we didn't always get along. He cared about the campers and camp more than almost anyone. He would go to war for any of us and it's time we did the same for him! For Percy!" Annabeth had raised her arms over her head and yelled her war cry. Soon the other demigods joined her in shouting. "For Percy! For Percy! Percy! Percy! Percy!"_

" _Guys you don't need to do this." Percy tried saying in hopes someone would hear him. Unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears as the sounds of their cries rang out through the amphitheater. Mr. D still looked like he didn't care while Chiron had a determined but sad look to his eyes. Hermes looked proud at the campers and the campers themselves were working themselves into a fury. Percy always knew he was important to camp, especially when he realized how sad everyone was when Hera kidnapped him, but he didn't think his importance extended this far._

 _Percy walked close to Annabeth then and looked into her deep grey eyes. They held such fierceness that even Percy took a step back from her glare. Then he heard her speak._

" _I'm coming for you Percy. You aren't getting rid of me again Seaweed Brain. I'll kill whoever's responsible for this. I swear it on the Styx."_

 _Percy's eyes opened wide in shock before he was suddenly whisked away, camp disappearing in the distance._

(Line Break)

 _When Percy finally stopped moving he found himself at a similar scene to the one he just left. Standing in front of him was the entire Legion with weapons raised in the air and Reyna and Frank standing at the front. Mars was looking down at all the demigods with a smile on his face and Percy saw the glint of joy in his eyes. He heard the shouts of "Praetor Percy" and "Death to Devils" ring throughout the Field of Mars. It seemed that Mars had already told them about the upcoming war and the Romans were just as eager to fight for Percy as the Greeks had been._

" _Do you believe your father now?" a voice spoke to the side of Percy. The demigod jumped in surprise at realizing he was being addressed and turned to look at the figure._

 _Standing next to Percy was Aphrodite and she looked down on the scene with nothing but sadness. Percy bowed his head in respect of the goddess but quickly turned away to avoid getting trapped in her charms like before. Together, the demigod and goddess watched the army work themselves into a disciplined frenzy with Mars at the front influencing them._

" _I knew I was important to Camp Half-Blood but I didn't expect this out of Camp Jupiter" he said in response to her question. He could hear a scoff escape from her mouth when he was finished. Even that sounded beautiful out of the Goddess of Love._

" _You were their Praetor even if it was only for a short period of time. Did you really expect them, Romans, to not be upset about your circumstances? You know how much they care about respect, discipline, and strength. Plus, this was the course of action Athena wanted to take anyway. You remember how she wanted to start a war between the factions to begin with. We were always going to get involved at some point. It's just a bit earlier than anticipated now." Her words were slightly mocking but Percy could tell that was mainly because she was upset at what was happening. He remembered that she was the only one who refused to declare for war._

" _I guess" was all he said. He continued to watch while Mars eventually disappeared and Frank and Reyna began shouting orders. He saw a group of large, muscular kids run off in the direction of the forges while a group of lithe, agile campers ran to the Pomerian line and drop their weapons off with Terminus before continuing on into the city. Knowing the Romans, Percy suspected they were going around and trying to gather the Senate for an emergency meeting._

 _Neither Percy nor Aphrodite spoke as the Legion eventually broke up going about their business. Percy noted that they seemed more motivated and everyone was focused. When he watched the Fifth Cohort begin their turn at training against the makeshift automaton monsters that charged them he saw brutality and viciousness in their attacks. He supposed his death and resurrection must have hit them the worst of all based on how fiercely they attacked. Hazel stood to the side of the Cohort drilling them harder than he had ever seen before. He only let out a deep sigh._

" _I just don't understand why" he said after a few more minutes. He was clearly still dreaming as he couldn't feel any wind whipping or the heat of the sun. "Why are they so eager to fight? We just finished a second war gods damnit." He said frustrated. He meant for his questions to be rhetorical but Aphrodite answered him anyway._

" _You already know the answer to your questions Percy. Its for the same reason you yourself would fight if something were to happen to Frank or Jason or Annabeth. You mean something to the campers, a symbol of the gods, the savior of Olympus."_

" _And look what good that's done me" he mumbled quietly._

" _Pity doesn't suit you Perseus. Don't go there." Aphrodite reprimanded gently. She was acting like Percy had never seen before. Normally, Aphrodite was flirty and playful with him but for now she was serious and sad._

 _He let that scolding go and let silence resume for a few more minutes. This demigod dream was much longer than his others but he was glad in a way. He missed the camps and even if the campers were getting ready for a war now, he enjoyed the time he could spend here._

" _Why are you here My Lady?" Percy finally asked when he couldn't take watching his former cohort any longer. They had completely slaughtered a group of automatons telekhine and were moving on to a group of metal hellhounds._

 _Aphrodite was wearing a simple white peplos that was sheer, almost see-through. She had a crown of red roses around her head that radiated power and an armband of white gold in the shape of doves on her right arm. For once, Aphrodite didn't look like anyone Percy recognized. She had long flowing golden hair with crystal clear blue eyes and a small smile on her rosy lips. She wasn't nearly as endowed as when she adopted the visages of Rias or the black-haired girl he'd seen but at the same time she looked breathtakingly beautiful. Beyond beautiful even. Far more beautiful than he'd ever seen her at the least._

 _She turned to look at Percy as well and the smile on her face grew larger by the second. The goddess let out that tinkling laugh she often had but Percy couldn't help but stare at her. She reached her arm up and the next thing Percy knew she was closing his jaw with her soft, delicate fingers. He felt his face flush in embarrassment but he couldn't find it in himself to turn away like before._

" _Is the mighty hero caught up in my beauty perhaps?" Aphrodite asked teasingly. There was something about her voice that reminded Percy of someone else and he found himself fighting the glamour. Slowly, he felt himself regain composure and coughed and turned away briefly before looking back at the goddess in control now._

" _Why are you here My Lady?" Percy asked again a little less respectfully this time still feeling embarrassed by his reaction._

 _At that Aphrodite let her smile fall a bit before looking at Percy with sad eyes. "I'm here for two reasons Percy. First, I wanted to give you a taste of what interacting with the gods might be like in the future." Percy raised an eyebrow at this in confusion. "Poseidon told you that you are no longer mortal Percy. That means the gods no longer have to hide their true appearances from you for fear of killing you. Some might choose to do so still but don't expect that from everyone. I myself prefer to utilize my own goddess form when I can."_

 _Percy gulped as her words sunk in. "You mean… this is your true form?" he asked worriedly. Aphrodite nodded her head before giving him a squeeze on the arms and a genuine smile._

 _He was looking at the goddess of Love and Beauty in her true form and Percy couldn't help but think that somehow goddess didn't even fit how perfect she was for the role. Then he realized what she was saying and grew shocked. He was looking at a goddess in her true form. And he wasn't burnt to a crisp. Even in a dream, her godly essence should have destroyed him but it seemed his lack of mortality had changed him so much he could look at her like any other immortal would. He no longer had to worry about being destroyed by looking at the gods as they disappeared but he didn't know how he felt about that overall. It was reminder that he was no longer human after all._

 _Something in his eyes must have changed because Aphrodite nodded again as if confirming his thoughts. He felt awkward about that but brushed it off and gave her a smile back hoping to show that it was ok and he would be alright. The goddess gave his arm another squeeze before continuing to talk._

" _The second reason I am here is to give you a heads up. Zeus is sending Hermes out in a few days to meet with a delegation of Angels."_

" _Why is he doing that?" Percy asked her._

" _I have found someone that I think could be a suitable match for you." She responded back._

 _Percy felt blown away by that. He always knew that was the end goal for the council but after everything that happened yesterday he didn't expect it to happen immediately._

" _What?" was the only thing he could say._

 _Aphrodite seemed to realize the shock this was causing him so she elaborated. "I had narrowed down my initial search to a good select few women from the Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils before we found out about your… situation." That was putting things lightly. "When Zeus announced that I needed to remove the Devils from the selection it made things very easy for me. There were very few Fallen Angel candidates so it was simply a matter of choosing the best Angel. I believe I have finally done so."_

 _Everything Aphrodite was saying was difficult for Percy to swallow. He was still seventeen and even if he did partially agree to this at the outset everything was happening way to fast for him now. He was now a Devil, the camps were at war, and a potential wife had finally been chosen for him. If this wasn't a dream Percy was sure he would be hyperventilating at this point._

" _Wha… Who?" he finally asked._

" _She wasn't someone I originally wanted for you." Aphrodite began. "She's very nice and humble. Very polite really. Extremely beautiful and a great fighter. She is very powerful and a leader of Heaven. Her name is Gabriel and she's a Seraph. Despite all that though I knew she wasn't the right choice for you. Not when you had the others you've been making connections with."_

" _Gabriel" Percy muttered. Her name reminded him a little of his former step-father. Oddly enough though, that thought didn't disturb Percy as much as it might have a few years ago. She was an Angel and lived in Heaven. He knew for a fact that Smelly Gabe was rotting in the Fields of Punishment being beaten and whipped every moment for the rest of his life. She had to be pretty much the complete opposite of that asshole._

 _When Percy thought of the rest of Aphrodite's words he looked at the goddess sharply._

" _What do you mean the others? I don't love anyone else."_

 _Aphrodite laughed again but this time it was deeper. There was nothing fake about this laugh as if she was truly laughing genuinely._

" _Oh Percy, have you still not figured it out yet? I know you're a bit clueless at times but even you should be able to recognize the signs by now. Especially after the other night…" she trailed off leaving the rest of her thoughts open to interpretation._

 _Percy immediately felt his face flush again at what she was hinting. So apparently both Hermes and Apollo_ were _on his shoulder. And they told the Goddess of Love, arguably the biggest gossip in all of Olympus, that he spent the night naked with Rias Gremory. He groaned at the thought._

" _Di Immortalis" he said slapping his head, "it's not what you think. She said she was just healing me – not that I needed it-" he mumbled that under his breath, "Nothing else happened."_

" _Oh, I know Percy. I can still feel your virginity intact." Percy's face grew a deeper shade a red but the goddess continued on. "I must say I'm a bit disappointed too. I give you a great gift, one I have bestowed on only a few throughout history and what do you do with it? Nothing! Though it is still affecting those around you." She smiled a predatory smile at that._

 _Percy gulped. He completely forgot about what Aphrodite did to him in Camp Jupiter before he left for Japan. He remembered her saying something similar about it then too. Something about Ben Franklin and Julius Caesar._

" _What was your gift?" he asked her once more hoping she'd actually tell him this time. He wasn't disappointed._

" _I have made you one of the most desirable men in the world Percy. Women throughout the world feel and respond to your power and charms. You could have any woman you wanted with little effort now." She laughed again at that thought. Percy felt the blood drain from his dream face._

" _You made me… desirable to all women?"_

" _Yes, I did." She said. "You were already a desirable man Percy. Good looks, very brave, loyal to a fault. Why you were practically every woman's dream husband. I just upped the desire further. I did similar things with Paris and Julius Caesar. Though I think the most famous has to be none other than Giacomo Casanova."_

" _Casanova was a real guy?" He asked. "I thought that was just a saying?"_

 _Aphrodite shook her head no though the smile never left her face. If anything, she only looked more excited. "Oh, he was definitely real Percy. His memoirs contain the descriptions of the 120 most beautiful women he slept with though the actual number far exceeds that."_

 _Percy just looked at the goddess in thought. On one hand, he felt a bit upset with Aphrodite's meddling. If he wanted to be with someone he could get the girl himself. It was almost insulting to think that he needed help. But on the other hand, this wasn't exactly helping him. The only thing she did was make him more desirable to women. Probably increased his pheromone levels or something. She didn't actively do anything to make him want to pursue women. She just made it so they wanted to pursue him. And considering everything that's happened with the women he's met so far in Japan it didn't seem like it overpowered their sense of reasoning either._

" _Why" he asked._

" _It was time I gave the gift to someone else. The last man was none other than President John F. Kennedy. He was a son of mine if you didn't know. Very charismatic and good looking. I knew he'd be the perfect host for the gift." Aphrodite looked away for a moment in sadness at that. Percy remembered that Kennedy was assassinated and he felt some sympathy for her._

" _The romances of those I bestow this gift on Percy are told to this day and will continue to go down in history. It's time for a new Casanova to emerge. I wonder how the world will react to your name in two hundred years? Maybe when mothers compliment their own sons in the future they'll claim he's growing up to be the next little Perseus." She said that last sentence with a squeal of joy. She really did enjoy the effects of lust and love. A perfect goddess for her role._

 _This wasn't a gift that he particularly wanted. Sally always taught Percy to be respectful of women and he didn't want to use them like the past users of this gift seemed to. He felt somewhat grateful that this blessing didn't end up in the hands of someone like Issei at that thought. Percy couldn't even imagine what kind of trouble that kid could get into if Aphrodite made him more desirable._

" _I see that you understand the true power I gifted you." Aphrodite said as if reading his mind. "Many of the users of my gift in the past have not been the kindest of men. They started out as humble and kind but many drifted off into debauchery and lust as they realized the power of the blessing. I do not think you will fall into this fate." She stepped up close to him then and he felt her grab his arms before moving them away from Camp Jupiter. Together they were flying faster than ever across the Pacific Ocean and eventually over cities and towns. It was all moving too fast for him to truly take in but as they reached their destination Percy saw where they were headed._

 _They slowed down as they came into contact with the house Percy had gotten used to living in recently. He felt himself crash through the marble of the home and the next thing he knew he was standing in his room again and Aphrodite was loosening her arm from his._

" _Many of those women you are with care for you deeply Percy. There is one amongst them I would have gladly chosen rather than Gabriel. Perhaps in time I can convince the others this is the best course of action instead." She took up a seat on the bed looking up at Percy then with a look of concentration on her. That was definitely something he'd never seen on her before._

" _We can't have this war My Lady. I've done practically everything I could to prevent this from happening and still it seems to be going forward. I fear that more campers are going to die because of this." Percy looked sad and angry and couldn't help sitting in the desk chair across from the bed. He felt angry at himself and the rest of the gods._

" _Sometimes it is the will of the Fates" was all Aphrodite said. She then stood up from his bed. "In any event, I have done what I need to and you will be waking shortly. I will try my best to prevent this but you must be prepared nonetheless. I will return in a few days' time to inform you of the result of Hermes meeting."_

 _Percy nodded and stood up himself. He never had a dream go like this before and he found it a bit odd. Usually demigod dreams left him confused or tried to show him what was happening to influence he current quest but he found he had a lot more leeway in this dream than in others. It was probably due to him no longer having mortality in him. He found himself wondering what else he could do here till he woke up._

" _Pretty much anything you wanted." Aphrodite randomly said. Percy gave her an odd look._

" _You were wondering what else you could do. Pretty much whatever in the land of dreams. Us gods have a lot more freedom with mortals in Morpheus' realm. Considering you now essentially have only immortal blood in you, well and monster blood I suppose, you have a lot more power here than before. You aren't restricted like a normal mortal."_

Gods _Percy thought to himself in the dream. Would the world not stop surprising him? First, he sees the camps agree to the war, then he finds out he's getting married maybe sooner than he expected._ Next thing I know Aphrodite will try and seduce me _he thought._

 _Before Percy could even think anything else he saw Aphrodite give him a sultry smile. He saw raw passion in her eyes and found himself looking at her desire._

" _You should really learn to control your thoughts Percy. Immortals have a much easier time reading the minds of others in their dreams." The Goddess of Love then took a step closer to him. Then another. The next thing he knew Aphrodite was practically on top of him and she pushed him down into his desk chair and fell to her knees._

This isn't happening _he thought._ Gods, this can't really be happening _. He heard her laugh again and she gave him a teasing smile._

" _How long do you think we have before you wake up Hero? You escaped me in the throne room but it's just us here in your dreams."_

 _Percy gulped. Then he felt himself grow confident. This was a dream. His dream to be exact. And he could do whatever he wanted in his dreams. It's not like this was actually happening so what harm could there be. Aphrodite must still have been reading his mind because she looked up from her kneeling position in front of him and gave him a smoldering look. He could see the lust in her eyes._

" _That's right Hero. I can do whatever you want in your dreams." She slowly reached her hands up and grabbed the insides of his thighs parting his legs. Aphrodite scooched herself closer to him and rested her head on his knees giving him such an innocent look. Her demeanor was obvious to him now. He had the power; he was finally in control. And he should use that power to take her, claim her as his own. Make her scream and cry out his name for all of Olympus to hear. He could imagine it now._

" _Mhmm" Aphrodite said licking her lips. She adopted such a submissive position that Percy couldn't help but feel dominating. "You saved me Hero. You saved all of Olympus. You deserve your reward for saving us. Please let me reward you Hero." Aphrodite was slowly moving her hands forward up his thighs now getting closer to his groin. She kept muttering about how he had saved her and he was so strong and powerful. He found himself agreeing with her. Right here, right now in this land of dreams, he was as powerful as Zeus. He saved everyone, he did deserve a reward for his efforts._

" _You may reward me" he found himself saying without really thinking about it. He never said anything like that before but it felt right._

 _Aphrodite's answering smile was beaming and when she nodded her head in innocent joy he found himself wishing she would just move it a few more inches forward on his groin._

" _Oh, my Hero," she said, "you're so good. So strong." The goddess finally brought her hands together and they rested on his now fully engorged member. He couldn't recall a time when it felt so hard that it hurt this good. Ever so slowly Aphrodite began moving her hands over his dick over his pants. He let out an involuntary groan at the action it felt so good. A handjob over his pants didn't usually feel this good, he would know seeing as Annabeth hand done this for him, but Aphrodite's hands were practically magical. Maybe it was because this was a dream or maybe because she was a goddess. Whatever the reason he found himself enjoying this immensely. He knew it was only a matter of time before he took his place inside her._

 _As the Goddess of Love was slowly working her magic over him he felt a desire well up in him to do something in return. Sure, she was pleasuring him as a reward for his years of service but he wouldn't let it be said he couldn't return the favor; even in a dream. He found himself leaning forward slightly and unclasping two pins that rested on the top of Aphrodite's shoulders. The top of her dress fell down to reveal two beautiful breasts he was mesmerized by. Her dress might have been almost see-through before but there was a difference between almost seeing and definitely seeing. He had to agree that definitely seeing was a million times better._

 _Her breasts were of middling size, not overly large like Akeno or Rias' were, but they were noticeable nonetheless. In the center rested her areola which were a darker shade than her already tanned skin with her nipples sticking out erect. Percy found himself reaching down and groping her breasts and found them to be so firm yet soft._

" _Oh, Hero!" Aphrodite squealed softly. She increased the speed of her hands creating greater friction on his penis. He couldn't help but let out a loud moan at the pleasure. Aphrodite continued to look up at him with such submissiveness that Percy couldn't help himself but look down at the goddess in lust. Her tiny squeals and moans of pleasure whenever he felt up her breasts made himself feel good which in turn seemed to make her feel good. It was a cycle of pleasure that neither seemed wanting to stop._

" _You're so good" Percy said. "Just a few more minutes."_

 _Slowly, he felt himself being built up to the point of no return. He wanted nothing more than to rip down his pants and take her but she was giving him so much pleasure at this point that he didn't want what she was currently doing to stop for even a second. It was a dream after all. He could get it up again immediately after she was done anyway._

" _Yes, my Hero! Yes! You want me, don't you? You can have it all. You've earned it all. Take me! Take ME!" Aphrodite's dirty talk only increased his desire further and he found himself on the precipice of erupting._

 _That's when things started going fuzzy. And not in a good way._

 _Percy looked around as his room started losing a lot of it's solidity. Things like his bed, his bureau, the walls started fading in and out. He could make out a vague voice in the distance calling out to him but he ignored it. He tried to ignore everything but this room and Aphrodite._

" _Please Hero. You need to hurry. Don't leave me like this." Aphrodite said innocently. Percy sure as Hades didn't want to leave like this. He was so close now he'd give his left arm to finish. Everything was fading hard now and things in his room were disappearing. His books had vanished while his bed was almost completely gone. The voice couldn't be ignored any longer and Percy could hear it clearly telling him to get up._

" _No, just another few seconds more." He said in response to the voice. "Please, just another few seconds."_

 _Percy looked down at Aphrodite and she was still smiling seductively at him. Her words were growing quieter as the other voice became louder but Percy could still her the goddess begging him to finish._

 _He found himself shaking now with each stroke from Aphrodite. He shoulders began to move first, then he upper body and head. He knew he was moments away because he felt jittery movement in his knees. They usually went haywire when this happened so it wasn't abnormal._

" _Yes!" Percy shouted as he was about to explode. Any moment now._

And then he woke up.

"Percy, you need to get up for school" the voice of his mother said as she hovered over him. She was shaking him vigorously to rouse him from sleep.

The demigod let out a whimper at the incompletion of his dream.

"Yes, Yes, I know. Just a few more minutes." Sally said. "Well you said that five minutes ago. It's time to get up. I will not have you making Paul late so get up and go shower." Percy had finally opened his eyes and felt the heat from his build up in his penis still. He needed release and needed it now. He groaned out loud.

Sally started walking away and continued making threats to him making sure he got up. And then he heard possibly the worst thing from her mouth as she left the room.

"My gods, you'd think he had Aphrodite in there with him with all his moaning and groaning." She said under her breath.

Percy just flopped back on his bed letting out another whimper at his continued shitty luck.

(Line Break)

Throughout the day Percy couldn't help but let him mind drift back to his dream. Not the Aphrodite aspect, as he wasn't in the habit of torturing himself, but at the resolve for war from the camps. He thought about how ready Sherman and the Ares kids were. Travis and Connor Stoll looked ready to lead the Hermes cabin on a mission to steal all the bibles in the local churches. Even the rest of the younger kids looked like they wanted to participate. That was something he hoped to never see.

And then he thought about Annabeth. She looked so angry and fierce during her proclamation for war. He'd gotten used to the idea of their breakup ever since he was told he was going to be in an arranged marriage. He thought back to all their times together and realized that often times she did boss him around. Granted it was usually a life and death situation somehow and was necessary but even when it wasn't the case he found himself doing what she wanted a lot of the time anyway. His feelings for her had diminished with time and distance though he didn't think he could ever not care for her. He didn't say love. He didn't want to admit that somewhere deep inside he might still love her. He would love his new wife, maybe this Gabriel woman if Aphrodite was right. But not Annabeth. He couldn't love her.

Then his mind started drifting to many of the other women he's met recently as Aphrodite mentioned. He thought about Murayama and Katase and how they enjoyed spending time with him at lunch every day. The little Koneko and busty Akeno floated in his mind then and thought about their cold and teasing natures. Rias dutifully popped in his head next and he thought back to all his encounters with her. The redhead was certainly feisty and strong, qualities that Percy liked in women, though he found himself enjoying her teasing as much as he did Akeno's. It usually left him flustered and awkward but he enjoyed it all the same.

And last, but certainly not least, little Asia appeared in his head. She was so innocent and caring that Percy couldn't help but feel protective towards her. He just met her yesterday but he considered her his friend already. Even after what happened last night. Especially after what happened then with that asshole exorcist.

Which lead him to his current situation. He had asked for Rias' help with getting Asia out of the Fallen Angels, to which she seemed like she might actually be able to. He still didn't fully understand the politics between the factions yet but he could tell that him and Asia were technically on opposite sides. It seemed like a delicate situation though so Percy knew he couldn't just go in swords blazing. He already had a war between the Devils and Olympians he was worried about. As much as he wanted to just bust and kill every Fallen Angel around he knew that would put too much strain on Asia. It might even get her killed. Not to mention that it would start a war between factions.

 _And wouldn't Athena just love that_ he thought bitterly.

Fortunately, it seemed the Goddess of Wisdom didn't know, or at least didn't understand, all the happenings in the Biblical pantheon yet to force him into this action.

He thought about what to do all day long and finally decided he'd take a similar approach as he'd done with other demigods during the Titan War. Maybe if he talked with Asia she would leave the Fallen Angels. He could protect her, he knew he could. Or as a worst case maybe he could have Hermes send her to one of the camps. She'd be extremely useful there and she'd be able to use her powers without worrying about whatever was in her past.

Many of his teachers tried to get his attention all day but after the fourth time they called his name and he ignored them they just seemed to let it go with disappointed looks on their faces.

It was now just before the bell was about to ring for the last time of the day. Percy knew Kiba would be by right after to "fetch him" as Rias said but he couldn't let that happen. She expressly forbade him from meeting with Asia. Well his rebellious attitude didn't just extend to his good looks. With just about five minutes left to class Percy stood up and then just walked out with his teacher and fellow students looking at him slack jawed. He could hear his teacher yell his name out but he didn't slow down for anything and quickly made his way through the doors of the school.

Looking down at his watch he saw that in less than a minute the bell was going to ring and school would let out. The further he was from school the better he had to get away unseen. So, he shifted his bag on his shoulders and took off at a strong jog up the hill. With a final thought that Asia must still be at the Church he vanished down the street.

What he didn't see was a Redheaded Devil watch him disappear down the road shaking her head in worry.

(Line Break)

It didn't take nearly as long to get close to the Church as Percy expected. Being on top of the hill on the outskirts of town didn't lend itself to being close but Percy could run faster and longer than he expected. Whether that was due to his new health, his demigod nature or his new Devil abilities he didn't know.

 _ **You must be very careful hatchling. You are in enemy territory now and you haven't learned to utilize your sacred gear to it's full potential.**_ The voice of Tiamat rang throughout his head. He found that unless she had something to say to others she typically preferred to converse with him telepathically. Honestly, he preferred her responding that way too even if it looked odd that he was talking to himself.

"I know" Percy said back quietly. The Church was only a couple hundred yards in front of him now and he could feel his body warning him to stay away or prepare to fight. His plan was pretty simple really, the church had windows all around it so he was going to go around and peer in each one until he found Asia. It wasn't his best plan, actually it probably didn't even break his top 50 best plans, but without walking directly inside he didn't know what else to do. And something told him walking inside by himself was suicide even if he could take a bunch of them down with him.

"Are we still being watched?" he asked her softly. His partner had warned him that the same presence as yesterday was nearby again. That didn't reassure him as he didn't think is was Athena this time.

 _ **Mhmm… Yes. The presence is still here. It is close though I only vaguely recognize it. It has been many years**_. _**Your father's lock on your sacred gear and my soul was most uncomfortable. Given time my full memories will return but for now we will have to deal with some haziness**_.

Just then the doors to the church whipped open and two people walked out. Percy quickly leapt to the side into the forest to hide from the two walking down the stairs.

The first was a tall buxom woman with long navy-blue hair. Percy couldn't help but admire her blue hair; it was his favorite color after all. She was wearing a maroon colored miniskirt with a matching blazer styled jacket. The jacket was definitely too small as Percy could swear he saw the tops of her breasts bursting out of it. She was wearing long black high heels. Percy didn't think she was coming out of confession dressed that way.

Next to her was a smaller woman, a girl maybe, dressed in a black and white Lolita dress that reminded him of the gothic ages. It was frilly with a big black bow tie tied tightly over her front. She was wearing black flats with long thigh-high white socks that matched the gothic dress perfectly. She had a black bow tied over the top of her blonde hair that kept her twin ponytails in the back. Her blue eyes made her look like such an innocent child though when Percy leaned forward their conversation was anything but.

"They still haven't found Dohnaseek yet?" The blonde-haired girl asked her companion. The blue-haired girl didn't say anything but she shook her head in the negative. "I'm sure the fool got into trouble with those Devils around" she continued. "Raynare told him not to go seeking out that fool. She already felt it's power. Twice critical. Bah. And Governor General Azazel sent us to watch out for that." The blonde-haired girl scoffed at that idea.

It was then that the blue-haired woman finally spoke up. She sounded very condescending and arrogant, two traits Percy hated. "Governor General Azazel sent us here to keep an eye on both sacred gears. Raynare was right though. If we can harness the power and claim it for ourselves then we'll rise up the ranks of the Grigori. They'd have no choice but to acknowledge our use."

Percy's thoughts were running wild as he listened in. _Two sacred gears? That must have been his own and Issei's. But why was Issei the only one they targeted? And who's this Azazel?_

Before he could continue thinking the blonde-haired girl spoke up again. "It'll be done by tonight" she said giggling. "That foolish girl left to try and meet up with someone. She tried to play it off as if she was merely running an errand. I think Raynare is out looking for her now."

Suddenly, Percy heard some rustling in the trees behind him and immediately turned around ready for a fight. Having ADHD wasn't do him any favors on his nerves, which was probably a good thing if slightly annoying sometimes. He could hear the two women fading off into the distance their voices and laughter disappearing with each step. He wanted to follow them and figure out more of their story but he couldn't until he knew he was safe.

He waited a few minutes looking around feverishly at his surroundings trying to see if anything was out there. Percy heard the occasional leaf moving and tree branch rustle but he didn't see anything.

"You're pretty good kid but you missed the most obvious hiding spot" a deep voice suddenly said from above.

Percy jumped from his hiding spot in the bushes and immediately uncapped Riptide. He looked up in the trees and scolded himself for not thinking to look there. His opponents mostly had wings now and he'd have to remember that they fly.

Floating up about the trees was a man with twelve wings of the darkest black to rival Hades. He was wearing purple pants that Percy could only think of as unique yet stylish with a grey button down and black vest. He wore a dark teal trench coat jacket that extended down to his knees. The Fallen Angel had a black goatee with matching hair though strangely his front bangs were golden in color. He didn't look bulky or muscular but Percy could see there was some hidden strength underneath those clothes. He couldn't have been more than three or four years older than Percy himself.

Percy looked up at the man feeling nothing but a sense of dread within him. Raynare and Dohnaseek were one thing but he had a feeling fighting this guy was going to be like fighting one of the gods. Percy could do it, and if it got him Asia faster he _would_ do it, but he certainly wasn't looking forward to it.

Slowly, the Fallen Angel started making his way down to the ground a few feet from Percy. The distance was close that Percy could lunge with Riptide and stab the man with relative ease though he doubted that would be the case. This guy radiated power that flared up with his own godly essence.

"So, you're the other sacred gear user in town" the man said at last. "I got to say I didn't know quite what to make of it when Raynare mentioned how good you smelt. She's always been a loyal one though she's taken things a bit too far this time."

Percy eyed the man warily but kept his sword pointed at him nonetheless. This was the first time anyone had made mention of his smell, or more accurately what he assumed was his demigod scent. He found that a bit odd but had just assumed it disappeared when he was turned into a Devil. Which apparently wasn't the case meaning Rias and the other Devils should have noticed it too.

"Who are you" Percy asked firmly. The man was giving him a critical once over that reminded him a bit of Athena analyzing him but a moment later the man stepped back and gave Percy a lackadaisical smile.

"I'm Azazel. Leader of the Grigori." The man said simply. Percy assumed that was supposed to mean something to him but he honestly had no idea. It was Tiamat who came to his rescue.

 _ **Ahh… Yes. Azazel. Now I recognize the power signature. It has been quite some time Governor General.**_

"A sacred gear with a soul bound to it too…" Azazel said quietly as if in thought. He quickly caught himself though and smiled again. "That voice sounds very familiar though I can't for the life of me remember. Who are you again?"

 _ **You wound me Leader of the Fallen Ones**_. Percy gulped at that thought. He didn't want to fight the Zeus equivalent of the Fallen Angels right then. _**You don't recognize me after locking me in this sacred gear a few centuries back?**_

"A few centuries?" Azazel said mumbling. "But we haven't sealed anyone since the middle ages. Tiamat? Is that you?" he finally asked somewhat incredulously.

 _ **Yes, Azazel it is I.**_

The Fallen Angel laughed in what Percy hoped was a joyous manner rather than the insane way it seemed to come out. "It's been a long time hasn't it? How have you been?"

 _ **I've been sealed in a sacred gear. How do you think I've been?**_ She deadpanned back.

Azazel's laughter turned a bit uncomfortable before resuming its good-hearty nature. "Point taken. So, you're stuck with this guy huh? How'd that happen?"

 _ **He is my first host**_ Tiamat said back, _**and I must say he is proving to be an interesting one. Tell me, what purpose do you have here? Those other Fallen Angels made it seem like your presence was elsewhere.**_

"Mmm, Yes I haven't revealed myself to the others yet. I wanted to check out the demigod for myself first. I must say this is all too interesting. I can feel the Devil in you boy. How are you even still alive?"

Percy just looked at the now named Azazel deciding if it was worth it to answer. On one hand, this was clearly one of the most powerful individuals in the world if he was a leader of the Fallen Angels. Not to mention that he did already kill one and had intentions of maybe killing some more and taking a nun from him. On the other hand, he didn't know this guy and the council made it clear that he wasn't to reveal his presence to them at all costs. Given that the Fallen Angel already recognized him for what he was he didn't really think he had too much of a chance though. So, he decided he'd lie to the man.

"I don't know. The Rich One wasn't very pleased with my departure." Ok so maybe he would change the conversation instead.

At his words though the Fallen Angel laughed harder than he had before. Percy actually jumped back in anticipation from an attack but when he saw the Fallen Angel only laughing he felt uncomfortable.

"No, I can't imagine he was. I'm sure the look on his face was priceless though. God, I wish I was there to see that the bastard."

Percy definitely felt uncomfortably now as not just ordinary people insulted the gods so nonchalantly. He wanted to leave as soon as possible but he felt that turning and running right then wasn't the answer. Instead he thought he'd try a different idea. If this guy was the leader of the Fallen Angels then maybe he could help him free Asia. He wouldn't have to fight anyone and Asia would go free with nobody dying. Seemed like a win-win from Percy's standpoint.

The demigod expected the Fallen Angel to continue talking but when he didn't Percy found himself really taking in the details of the man. He could see hints of madness in his eyes, a similar trait that Hades seemed to have, but this guy's look seemed more genius than madness compared to his uncle. He could see the calm posture on his body making Percy think this guy really didn't want to fight which was good considering Percy would much rather look for Asia. She was running around town if those two other Fallen Angels were right.

"So," Azazel said after a few more minutes of them sizing each other up, "what is a Devil/Demigod hybrid doing running around on church lands? I can feel the power rolling off you kid. If you aren't careful the rest of the church inhabitants are going to come rushing out for you."

This was the moment Percy needed to decide. It was either attack and potentially make a serious enemy out of this guy or ask him about Asia. Each moment he hesitated was another he wasn't looking for her. Then, taking a deep sigh, Percy lowered Riptide slightly before speaking quickly.

"I'm looking for one of the members of the church here. Her name's Asia. We met yesterday and had become friends. Do you know where she is?" Percy gave the man a sturdy look in the eyes as he spoke. He didn't want to let on how important the girl was slowly becoming towards him but at the same time he wanted to convey that he didn't have any ill intentions against her either.

Azazel continued to look at Percy with that critical eye and somewhat creepy smile. "Fallen Angels and Devils aren't supposed to mingle together. Did your master not tell you that?"

Percy growled slightly at that. Rias did mention that he needed to stay far away from the Fallen Angels but he didn't care anymore. He was just as much demigod as Devil and there wasn't any restriction on that. Though he supposed the Mist was supposed to act as that barrier in the first place.

"She's my friend" Percy reiterated fiercely giving the guy a wolf glare. He raised Riptide in the air again though the guy didn't seem too concerned with that.

"Hmm… I like you kid." Azazel finally said at last. "You got spunk. And you don't seem to have any ill intentions toward her. I've been trying to get this stupid conflict over with for years. We need peace after all this time." Azazel eyed Percy curiously as if he knew something Percy didn't. "Maybe you'll be the one to help us get there" he ended with.

That sounded ominous and Percy felt some of the blood drain from his face at the idea. If things worked out the way the Olympians wanted then there would be peace between the factions at some point. It just rested with them squarely under the control of Zeus and two of the other factions dead.

Percy didn't know what to say to that so he just remained silent. Tiamat seemed to reverberate inside him as if to provide comfort which he took some pleasure in.

"Asia's the blonde-haired girl, right? Very naïve and innocent looking?"

Percy nodded in confirmation. It seemed Asia seemed to stick out like a sore thumb even amongst her own people apparently.

"I saw her leave the church maybe an hour or two before you showed up. She pulled out some slip of paper and read it a couple times before making her way down the hill. Raynare followed her not to long after."

With Percy's blood already drained from his face he felt it turn ashen at what he feared might be the case. If what those two Fallen Angels from before said were true than Raynare and the other Fallen Angels were out looking for Asia to do something to her. And if what Azazel said was true than Asia's slip of paper more than likely led to Percy's house. He cursed himself out for being so stupid as to do that.

Azazel looked down at Percy with concern at the conflicting emotions Percy knew were obvious on his face. "You alright kid? You're looking a bit white there."

"I'm fine." Percy spit out angrily. "I got to head home now. See you around."

Before Azazel could even say another word though Percy had already turned around and began sprinting down the hill. He caught the Fallen Angel Leader in his periphery briefly seeing the black winged Angel broke off and headed back into the woods. Percy felt himself turn on his jets and began sprinting home as fast as he could after that.

(Line Break)

The entire way back home Percy was worried about what scene he would be coming upon. Asia was so sweet and caring he had no doubt that his mother would invite her inside for come cookies and milk or something. And if Asia said that she was Percy's friend too than his mom would definitely invite the kindhearted girl in. But that only meant that if Raynare or another of the Fallen Angels caught up to her than his mom and Paul would likely be in danger as well. Not to mention his unborn baby sister.

Percy didn't need further motivation to get home quicker but at the idea that something might happen to his family he did everything imaginable to increase his speed. Somewhere in the park he threw his backpack and at the corner of the residences he whipped off his windbreaker jacket that only seemed to flap in Percy's way than keep the wind off him. He'd worry about going and getting that stuff back later after he knew for sure Asia and his parents were alright.

Each step on the pavement brought him closer and closer to the answer he both eagerly looked for and dreaded at the same time. He felt a sinister feeling creeping up his back but he played that off as just nerves from his worrying. He was sure his mom was showing Asia pictures of him as a baby taking a bath and Asia was laughing politely at his mom's antics. Paul was in the background telling awful dad jokes that somehow both Sally and Asia found funny. Yeah, he was sure that was exactly what was happening.

And once he confirmed that everything was ok he'd go back out and put a stop to Raynare and her Fallen Angel lackies. It would seemingly put him at odds with Azazel but he could deal with that when the time came. First, make sure Asia and his mom were safe, then kick Fallen Angel ass, finally deal with repercussions. The perfect Percy Jackson plan if he ever thought of one.

As Percy rounded the residential neighborhood that he lived in he let out a huge sigh of relief. The road was completely normal still and there was no sign of fighting anywhere. He finally came to a stop at his front door and took a quick look around. The grass had some footprints on it but other than that there didn't seem to be any damage to give credence to a struggle. The front door was still locked tight though he didn't see Paul's car in the driveway.

 _Must be in the garage_ he thought.

Nervously, Percy took out the house keys that rested in his pocket and slowly opened the door.

The house was quiet which wasn't entirely odd for this time of day as his mom often liked to take a nap right about now. He past the hallway and noticed the home phone had a blinking red light indicating there was a message for one of his parents and continued on his way. Usually he heard Paul typing away on his computer in the office that was in the room off to the side but when Percy stuck his head in he didn't see any sign that Paul had even come home. Percy took that to mean Paul had probably gone to take a nap with his mom and so he slowly crept along the halls towards his parent's room not wanting to disturb their slumber.

When Percy opened the door though he felt the sense of panic rise up in him again. His mom's bed was neatly made as she usually did in the mornings and didn't look as if she disturbed it at all throughout the day. Immediately, Percy reached his hand down into his pocket and pulled up Riptide and began searching everywhere for some sign she was here.

He ran into the living room and looked at the couch. He ran upstairs in the hopes she was in his room putting away laundry or looking for porn magazines as she'd done once before. He ran into the garage and hoped he saw his step-father's Prius sitting there but the only thing present was his motorcycle from Hermes. He quickly ran downstairs into the basement on the off chance she had gone into his training room to clean something there.

There wasn't a trace of Paul or his mother anywhere.

Making his way back up the stairs Percy felt drawn into the kitchen for some reason. Quickly, he ran into the room looking about wildly for some sign of anyone but all he saw just made his heart pump louder than ever. Resting on the counter was a broken glass cup filled with water and blood dripping down the side. A huge puddle was spilled on the ground and Percy felt himself grow scared at the thought that one of those Fallen Angel assholes hurt his mom and stepfather.

The next thing Percy knew he was running back outside. He flung the door open with a significant amount of force that it whipped back around and hit him on the head before he could get out the door. He stumbled and fell down the stairs.

He was in the process of getting up as fast as he could when he saw the one thing he was really hoping he wouldn't come across. Bending back down Percy reached into the bushes next to his stairs and pulled out a piece of paper with sloppy handwriting on it. He recognized it immediately for what it was: the paper with his address he gave to Asia.

Percy felt himself grow beyond angry with the situation. Overhead storm clouds once again started forming and flakes and sparks of lightning streaked down around Kuoh Town. Involuntarily his sacred gear activated and formed the blue dragons claw on his left arm. He crushed the piece of paper in his hand wishing he could just burn it.

All of a sudden, a flurry of streaks of lightning flashed down from the sky and struck his house and the paper in his hand burning it up. He didn't feel any pain from the attack but he was too angry to dwell on it right then.

He knew what he needed to do then. The words of those Fallen Angels from before, the apparent attack on his mom, the disappearance of his step-father, and now the missing link: the piece of paper Percy gave only to Asia who was also now missing. It all pointed to one sign: the Fallen Angels had captured everyone.

Percy knew they wouldn't give them back lightly. _If they're even still alive_ a cynical part of his mind quietly uttered. He immediately squashed that thought before it could take hold. The Fallen Angel had mentioned that something was going down tonight so Percy still had a few hours left to find them before something bad really happened. And he knew exactly where he was going to begin his search. The church was the Fallen Angels home base so what better place for answers than at their command post.

Percy made his way back inside for a minute to collect himself and form a plan. He spoke aloud hoping to get his thoughts squared away.

"Alright so the Church is a large building based on the outside design. It looks like there is at least two floors if the belltower at the top has an actual way inside rather than a ladder. That's a possible entry point. I didn't see any back entrance but one could have existed."

 _ **You could always go in through the front**_ Tiamat chimed in suddenly. She must have felt Percy's worry over his parents because she usually stayed quiet. Either that or their bond was growing deeper. Honestly, Percy didn't care right then as he was just grateful for ideas.

"Mhmm… Go in making an entrance. If that doesn't get their attention than nothing else will. But do we want to get their attention? We don't know how many are there and it could be one Hades of a fight."

 _ **Could you sneak in yourself otherwise?**_ She asked back.

Percy had to think about it for a minute before shaking his head. "Probably not. At least not by myself. Maybe if I had someone else to help me…"

 _ **Your Devil peerage perhaps? Rias did say she would help you.**_

Percy grimaced at that thought. "No, I don't think Rias would help me this time. I did blow her off again."

 _ **Azazel then? He didn't seem too keen on what his underlings were up to.**_

"If he didn't like what they were up to he should have put a stop to it. No as far as I'm concerned, as of right now he is a part of whatever it is their up to whether his is or isn't. He's currently an enemy."

 _ **What about your father then? Didn't he say he'd help you?**_

Now that idea had some merit. His dad would be the most willing to help him. Especially if his mom was in danger. But at the same time his mom and stepdad and Asia were mortals. Could his dad even interfere in their situation if he did come help? Probably not.

But that led him to another idea. Percy grew a smile on his face at the idea and quickly rushed into the kitchen. He tried turning on the lights only to find that they wouldn't turn on. The earlier strikes of lightning must have shorted the electricity in his home causing the power to go out. It was still cloudy outside so almost no light was coming in meaning he couldn't form the rainbow he needed for an Iris-Message.

"Gods Damnit" he shouted bringing his armored hand down on the counter giving it a very minor crack.

 _ **What is wrong hatchling?**_ Tiamat asked.

"I need a gods damn rainbow and can't form one without light." As he spoke he remembered the prism in his room and sprinted up the stairs in search for the diamond shaped object.

He entered his room and started tearing it apart in search for the object. It was usually on his desk but for some reason it wasn't there right then. He checked under the desk, under his bed, on his book shelf. He couldn't find the item anywhere.

"Damnit!" he yelled again. Outside a roar of thunder crashed near his house as if in answer to his fury.

"I NEED A DAMN RAINBOW" he shouted as if that would will one into existence.

Oddly enough though one did. From his left hand a burst a stream of multiple colors forming into the shape of a rainbow. Percy looked at it in complete shock not knowing what had happened. He could feel power slowly draining from himself so he knew that he was somehow creating the rainbow but he didn't understand how. He didn't have time to look a gift horse in the mouth though so he instead quickly grabbed a drachma from his desk and threw it into the rainbow reciting the familiar prayer.

"Oh Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me Nico di Angelo at Camp Half-Blood."

It was five o'clock here in Kuoh Town which meant that it was about four in New York. Nico occasional had a hard time sleeping ever since Tartarus and while Percy wouldn't wish a lack of sleep on anyone, much less a demigod, he couldn't help but pray that the Son of Hades was up right now.

Fortunately, it seemed that whatever shitty luck Percy had extended to his cousin as well as when the call went through Percy found the familiar gaunt face of Nico looking right back at him.

"Nico" Percy began.

"Percy?" Nico asked skeptically. He had his eyebrows raised in surprise though didn't comment on it further.

"Look I don't have a lot of time. Did your father tell you anything about Fallen Angels or Devils?"

Nico scowled at Percy and nodded his head. "Oh, he gave me the rundown all right. Those assholes have been fucking with mortals lives for as long as the Olympians have."

Percy let a sigh of relief at not having to explain further. It seemed Hades hatred for Fallen Angels and Devils had seeped over into his son. Percy just hoped that angry sentiment didn't extend to himself right then.

"Good. Then I don't need to explain anything in detail. I'm just going to get right to the point, I need your help. Can you get to my house right now?"

"Sure" Nico said confidently. "What's this about exactly."

"I'll tell you on the way but let's just say that if you can help me tonight then the world won't have to worry about a few more Fallen Angels screwing with it."

The maniacal smile Nico gave Percy sent a shiver up his spine and as Nico began wiping his hand through the Iris-Message Percy could hear his cousin give the same evil laugh his Uncle often did.

 _Gods I hope I don't regret this_ was his final thought while waiting for his cousin to appear.

 **AN:**

 **Hey Guys. Here's another chapter for you. Hope you enjoy it. I have a poll on my profile that I would really appreciate you all taking a moment to vote on. Please do so if you have a minute.**

 **I want to thank everyone for the continued reviews and favorites and follows. I really appreciate all feedback as it helps improve what exactly I'm trying to write.**

 **I wanted to try something a little different with the Aphrodite aspect of the story this time. A minor lime really but I wanted to see how it would play out in terms of entertainment and relevance. As I mentioned in my preface, I don't plan on writing lemons here. But I don't think I'd mind a minor lime either. Just testing the waters really. Please give feedback into if you enjoyed it or not.**

 **Also, this story isn't in the humor category. I've realized that I'm not exactly a funny writer as I tend to stick to a more serious style. Though I have tried to write some funny parts here and there (i.e. Percy's mom finding him and Rias, Koneko slamming the door on Issei, etc...). I'd really appreciate hearing back on if you enjoy these little lighthearted moments or not. Do you actually find them funny or no?**

 **I feel like this somehow needs to be said again as well though I'd hope people realize this by now. This story is an AU though as I've mentioned numerous times now we ARE going to be following the major plot points of High School DXD. Basically that means this: Take arc 1 for example, the major plot points I believe are such - 1) meet Rias & peerage 2) get turned into Devil 3) fight with fallen angels/introduction to antagonists 4) meet & befriend Asia 5) encounter with Freed 6) Asia's disappearance 7)Fight with Fallen Angels. We're going to hit all those major points though there will be differences in how they play out. Sometimes it will be exactly like it is in the light novel or anime, sometimes I'm going to go my own road like you see in this chapter. If you don't like that then I'll understand: you don't have to read this story and I appreciate everyone who does enjoy this. But now you should know for certain how this is going to go. The butterfly effect doesn't exist here so if it happened in the storyline it will happen somehow in this story as well. Whether you think this is a retelling of canon or not is your opinion but this is how I always intended to write this story. You either enjoy it or you don't.**

 **It seemed we had a pretty even split between people who didn't like the last chapter versus people who did. All I can say is that I hope you like this chapter. We lost a few people who seem to have lost interest in the story but that was bound to happen at some point. My advice? Read stories that you like and interest you guys/gals. I realize that my writing style or specifically my story isn't going to be everybody's cup of tea so there isn't any hard feelings on my part if you don't want to read it anymore.**

 **With that said, one thing I've learned as a writer versus a reader here on fanfiction is that it is very difficult to find a happy medium between the two. As a reader I am always looking for the next chapter to be written by authors whose stories I enjoy. I want to consume more and I try and give feedback on what I think should or shouldn't happen and what I enjoy about their writing. As a writer it is difficult to take all those suggestions in because I know exactly how I want my story to play out. Take last chapter for example. A lot of people were upset that I seemed to make Percy rely on Rias or subjugate himself to Rias instead of going to help Asia himself. It was always my intention to have Percy go after Asia himself as you saw in this chapter but I can't just explain that in an essay either. It has to play in out in the next chapter as was done with this. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll understand if you lose interest in the story but I ask that you have a little faith in it too. I'm not Rick Riordan, nor am I Ichiei Ishibumi. I'm not going to be able to portray their characters like they do. And in many way I don't want to. They are going to be OOC to some degree because this is FF and this is AU. You can either enjoy it or lose interest in it. I'll understand either way.**

 **Lastly, Percy's sacred gear has finally had a major breakthrough. That was a major clue and I think many people should be able to figure it out by now. I said I took the sacred gear from another character and now you should know which one. I'll probably say its name for those that still don't know in the next chapter so if you haven't figured it out don't worry. I felt this sacred gear worked best with Percy's powers so you'll see how the two worked together as the story plays out. He is definitely not going to be using it the same way as the other character does in canon. Remember that he's new to the sacred gear and despite how strong he is he still doesn't know what it is capable of nor it's potential. That's part of the journey my friends.**

 **As always please be sure to check out my profile for the next anticipated update. And please go vote in my poll if you have a moment. Thanks for reading all.**


	16. Chapter 14: Redemption

**AN - Please see Author Note at the bottom of the chapter. Also, for those that didn't see, I have a poll up on my profile. If you could take a quick minute, I'd really appreciate your vote.**

Chapter 14: Redemption

Rias Gremory stood looking outside the window in the clubhouse of the Occult Research Club observing the darkening skies. She had the window open and could feel the wind really start to pick up. It was a steady gust up this high off the ground but every few minutes the winds became so strong the outside shutters would lift and slam hard against the side of the building. Her crimson hair would whip back behind her head in a tangled mess during those strong gusts before eventually calming down.

Turning away from the window momentarily, she took in the appearances of most of her peerage. Kiba stood off to the side pacing back and forth with his face scrunched up thinking. His hands were clasped behind him with his back straight and blonde hair neatly groomed on his head. He walked with the grace and elegance a Knight was supposed to have.

Her young Rook Koneko was seated on the farthest couch leaning against a comfortable pillow. She had her legs folded up under her as if she was curling tight to herself, catlike, resting her head on the back of the couch. Her golden eyes were looking right back at Rias and the King could see the questions her evil piece had for her. She remained quiet though.

Lastly, was her most eager evil piece. Issei was also seated on the same couch as Koneko though her Rook made sure they were on exact opposite sides of each other. His red shirt was visible underneath his unbuttoned uniform and he looked nervous for some reason. His eyes kept darting between Rias and the window outside as he too seemed to be watching the craziness of the weather.

Together, her three pieces were waiting at her command for her Queen to report back with news on her last Evil Piece.

"President?" the voice of Kiba uttered. He had finally stopped pacing and now directed his full attention at his Master.

"Yes Kiba?" Rias answered back. She knew what he was going to ask but wanted him to bring it up rather than just answer him.

"Why are we still here? Is there some mission that needs doing?"

Rias looked back at Kiba for a moment deciding on the best way to answer his question. There wasn't any mission that came down from her brother or the others but until she located her newest Pawn she didn't really know the full scope of the situation either. After watching Percy sprint off before school ended she knew he was up to something.

After last night, she assumed he disobeyed her and went looking for that nun who was horrendously groped by the stray exorcist Freed. Asia, she remembered Percy said her name was.

Which put him directly in conflict with the Fallen Angels. Once Akeno got back she would be able to explain the situation better but she was anticipating a rescue operation for Percy. And Asia too if she was as powerful as she felt. No girl as sweet and kind as that deserved the brutal harassment she surely endured with Freed and the other Fallen Angels.

Right as Rias was able to explain they needed to wait for her Queen though, the black-haired Devil strode through the door of the clubhouse. She had a look of both relief and consternation on her face.

"President" Akeno said bowing slightly to her. She looked uncomfortable by the stiffness in her motions.

"Akeno" Rias said, "what did you find out?"

Akeno gave Rias a look of nervousness before beginning. "I found them. I followed Mr. Blofis just as you asked. They're safe from any danger. Better than safe really. His mother is recovering from her ordeal now. However, I was too slow to get to Percy. By the time I made it to his house I saw him disappear down the road on a motorcycle with someone on the back. I don't think he heard me yelling out for him."

Rias stood there taking everything her Queen was saying in. There was good news and bad news in what she said. Akeno at least knew the location of Percy's parents and their current condition, which was especially good considering what his mother was going through. But it seemed Percy didn't know.

Now she needed to figure out where he was headed, though she grimaced knowing it was really only one of two possible locations.

And she doubted her Pawn was headed to the clubhouse he'd only ever been transported in.

"Did you see where he was headed?" Rias asked Akeno. The black-haired girl nodded her head but didn't say anything. She obviously figured out Percy's destination as well.

Rias nodded her head back before going and standing by the window again. The sky had grown darker than she'd seen in her entire life except for perhaps the other night when she and Percy fought against the Hydra.

Just as she was about to get lost in her thoughts a flash of lightning crashed down in the distance and a mighty roar of thunder rang out. It was forceful and angry. Akeno had stepped up beside Rias and looked at the lightning with something akin to respect. Which was saying something considering who Akeno's father was.

From the window, Rias could make out the church atop the hill on the outskirts of Kuoh Town. Rain began to drop from the clouds around the once abandoned building and slowly it's pace picked up. Gradually, the concentrated rain storm was driving down harder and harder pounding into the distant trees and buildings. If there was any possible thought that Percy might be anywhere else before it was quickly dashed when one looked at the scene in front of them.

"What is that?" Issei spoke up from behind her. She didn't even hear her servant make his way over, the brewing storm was that loud even at this distance. When she turned around she saw the faces of all her servants looking at her.

"Zenith Tempest" she answered simply. "Percy's Sacred Gear apparently." Without getting a closeup look she wasn't completely sure but even from this far away she had a strong feeling it was one of the fabled thirteen Longinus.

She saw Issei look down at his left arm and he gave a small grimace. She could tell that he was comparing the two Sacred Gears and seeing that Percy was capable of this clearly made Issei feel inferior. She promised herself she'd help him train on unlocking it's potential. Something inside Rias told her his Sacred Gear wasn't the Twice Critical the Fallen Angel told him it was.

She looked back out the window for a moment before firming her resolve. It wasn't like there was even another option really. She wouldn't leave one of her peerage to fend for themselves against a horde of Fallen Angels. Plus, she did make a promise to his mother to take care of him. Rias intended to keep that promise.

"Alright" she finally said addressing the others, "here's the situation. After talking with Percy last night, I thought there still might be a chance he wasn't going to come to the clubhouse so I skipped the last period of school and waited outside to watch for him. He left school early and started making his way up the hill. I was about to go after him when I saw a crazed Paul Blofis blow by me to his car and speed away. I assumed Percy was already on his way home but when I saw him turn in the direction down the road instead of his house I knew something was wrong."

Rias paused to let the others take that in. Kiba looked thoughtful at her words and Koneko just looked expectant. Issei didn't really have a reaction other than his attempted sly glances to her chest. Even with Percy saving his life and his subsequent promise to be better, he and Percy didn't get along all that well so it didn't surprise her this was his reaction.

"I then had Akeno see if she could locate him and bring him to the clubhouse. But, as you just heard, she was unsuccessful. Whether Percy made his way to the church first or his house I don't know but, whatever the case, he is at the church now and he's in one hell of a fight. I know he's new to the peerage but I don't leave one of my servants to fend for themselves against a whole group of enemies."

Rias finished, looking at each of her peerage in the eyes. She saw the same resolve in them that she had. They were ready for a fight and to help their hopeful friend. She turned to address her Queen.

"Akeno, prepare a circle to transport us outside the church. I don't want to waste more time. Issei" she quickly said as Akeno moved off to use her magic. Her Pawn looked up at her eagerly. He looked ready for the fight now and she guessed he wanted to prove himself to her.

"Do you remember when I told you my evil pieces have the same attributes as their chess characters?" she asked him. He looked at her confused but answered her nonetheless.

"Yeah" he said unsurely.

"In this chess game, if a Pawn advances far enough into the enemy's territory they can be promoted into any other piece besides the King." Rias looked at him waiting for him to realize what she was saying and she wasn't disappointed.

"So that means I can eventually have the same powers as everyone else?" The confused look on his face morphed into one of happiness at hearing that.

"Yes, but only if the Master declares it enemy territory. And the Fallen Ones church is definitely enemy territory." Rias answered back smiling at him. His confusion vanished once more into earnestness and Rias knew he was ready to finally face down these Fallen Angels who keep tormenting him.

"President" Akeno interrupted them. "The circle is ready." Her Queen was standing off to the side with her hands clasped in front of her looking at Rias. There was still a lot Rias had to say to Issei but there wasn't enough time to go into his Sacred Gear now. She regretted waiting till now to fully address it but decided the matter of his power could wait until they came back. She'd watch his back during this encounter in case anything bad did happen.

Rias nodded her head before directing everyone to the circle.

"Alright, everyone on the circle." They had already started moving when Rias began speaking and it was only her and Akeno left outside it. "It's going to be a tough fight. Watch each other's backs and try and get Percy out when you see him." As one, Kiba, Koneko, and Issei nodded their heads.

Rias stepped forth into the circle and Akeno quickly shuffled in after her.

There was a quick flash of light and the next thing Rias knew they were standing outside the abandoned church caught up in what could only be called a hurricane.

The winds were easily ten times stronger here with gusts blowing leaves and branches wildly around the outside. One such branch came dangerously close to them but a quick blast of her destruction power easily destroyed the incoming missile.

"Inside! Hurry!" Rias yelled to be heard over the storm. Another crash of thunder blared out, much closer this time, and the King saw her Rook and Pawn cover their ears at its loudness.

Together, they quickly made their way up the stairs and into the building.

When Rias looked at the inside only one word came to mind: destroyed. What was once a testament and symbol to the powers of God was now a ruin. She saw pews splintered and shattered with wood strewn all over the place. The alter at the front of the church was broken and the marble from the cross behind it was crushed into tiny pieces littered all around the ground.

Close to the front was a blonde-haired boy wearing a bright orange shirt standing over someone lying on the floor. Rias couldn't see who was on the ground but she could hear the guy muttering something in another language. His hands glowed with a golden light momentarily and he had a look of concentration on his face that Rias doubted she could break even if she tried to. Faint breathing could be heard echoing in the room from the prone figure when the thunder wasn't roaring outside.

"They're below us" Rias said after taking everything in. "Let's go!"

She began running down the aisle and could hear the others following her when a blackness suddenly burst up from below the transept into the main part of the church. The marble from the floor exploded outwards and she covered her face to prevent any debris from smashing into her.

When she moved her hands, the dust was settling down. The blonde boy seemed as if he didn't even know what happened though he was now covering the face of who Rias saw was the nun Asia. Rias heard a groan appear from the figure in black and she saw it was a Fallen Angel with a slightly greenish glow around her. In the distance she could hear the sounds of yelling and swords clanging from the now large hole in the ground. Feet pounding on the floor were making their way towards her Peerage when suddenly a door in the back of the church burst open and two other Fallen Angels came in.

"Raynare!" shouted a small woman Fallen Angel wearing a black and white Lolita dress. She was about to charge towards her fallen comrade when the hand of her red garbed companion stopped her. The girl was about to say something when she made eye contact with Rias and glared at her.

"What are you doing here?" she asked loudly, clearly upset by their presence.

"Where's Percy!?" Rias asked back in response. She glared right back at the two women wanting an answer.

"What do you mean?" the blue-haired woman answered. She said it condescendingly but Rias could also tell she was pissed off. Both women were soaked from the rain and clearly upset by the turn the weather took. "This is the first we've heard any noise from in here."

Rias looked at them skeptically clearly not believing them with how much damage was done to the church but it was Kiba who voiced his skepticism.

"You… didn't hear any of… this?" he asked waving his arms around at the destruction.

"NO!" the Lolita girl said pouting. She stomped her foot on the ground in frustration before continuing. "We were supposed to watch the back entrance for anyone trying to break in or sneak out that way. But that damn storm nearly blew out our hearing!"

Rias realized at some level that the girls _were_ speaking rather loudly. Maybe their hearing was blown out by the resulting thunder. It was certainly loud when it crashed around Rias as they first arrived.

The footsteps were getting significantly louder now and they sounded really close.

Suddenly, Raynare jumped up from the ground moaning in pain and tried to make her way over to the other Fallen Angels.

"We need to go" she said out of breath and wheezing. Both women looked at her shocked but nodded and unfurled their wings ready to leave. Raynare was still glowing in a green light and, though she seemed weak, as each second passed she was looking healthier and stronger than before.

"Quickly!" Raynare urged unfolding her own wings.

Together, the three Fallen Ones began flapping and trying to fly through the open back door when one of the largest strikes of lightning she'd ever seen struck down from the skies. It crashed right through the outside of the church blowing apart part of the wall and blocking the exit. There was virtually no time difference between when the lightning flared down and the resulting thunder boomed. The flash from the lightning was enough to momentarily blind her.

The electricity caught the blue-haired woman off guard and blasted right through her, frying her wings. The other two immediately landed on the ground looking at the shaking body of their friend as she writhed in agony and cries of pain escaped her lips.

"Were you going somewhere Raynare?" a deep voice asked from the side of the alter. "You didn't answer my question and I don't like asking twice. WHERE. IS. MY. MOTHER!" the voice bellowed at the end.

Rias turned and was shocked by what she saw.

Standing in the doorway to the side was her Pawn with his glowing sword in hand. He was slightly out of breath but neither of those were the surprising part. No, what was surprising had to be the fact he was encased in the most beautiful blue armor she'd ever seen. It was reptilian with dragon like features and the strangest wings she'd ever seen.

One look at him and she knew he'd just achieved the forbidden move: a balance breaker. And though she couldn't see his face he could hear in his voice that he was pissed off enough to use it.

* * *

Percy paced the floor of his home nervously waiting for Nico to shadow travel to him. He knew it was early in the morning in New York and his cousin probably needed some kind of energy boost but Percy didn't have time to deal with that right now. He thought he made himself abundantly clear that he needed Nico's help immediately.

 _ **Calm yourself hatchling**_ the concerned voice of Tiamat said in his head. _**Your cousin said he would come so he will come. It has only been three minutes.**_

"I know, I know" Percy said irritated. "I just don't want to waste more time. Every second I'm not fighting these Fallen Angels is another second they could be doing something bad to Mom or Paul or Asia."

 _ **Well how about we focus on how we're going to get there when he arrives**_ she continued.

"What do you mean?" Percy asked confused. "We'll just use Nico's shadow travel."

 _ **Mhmm?**_ Tiamat voiced confused. _**He has the energy to do something like that repeatedly? I thought 'with great power comes great need to take a nap'?**_

Percy paused in his pacing and smacked himself in the head.

"Shit. You're right. He's going to be tired when… wait. How did you know he said that?"

Tiamat chuckled wryly at her other half. _**As I regain memories of the past I see moments of our time together hatchling. I've always been with you even if I was… suppressed.**_ That last part was said with some hints of bitterness but also a sense of resignation.

Percy felt both overjoyed and sad at that. It was a painful reminder of being denied his full being even if it was for his own good. He cursed his uncle's paranoia silently in his head. Tiamat chuckled and agreed with him.

"We're going to have to come up wi-"

Before Percy could finish that thought he noticed a huge black shadow appearing in his backyard. Luckily, there was a fence that blocked most of the neighbor's view otherwise he knew he'd have a difficult time explaining what was happening.

Without completing his sentence, Percy sprinted outside in anticipation for what he knew was coming. However, what actually did appear caught him off guard.

As the shadows finally coalesced into a solid being, Percy saw a sight that wasn't unfamiliar to him though it had been a while since he'd seen it. What appeared out of the shadows was taller than a tank and as dark as the night's sky. Glowing red eyes looked down at Percy and while that should have scared him it only made him grin instead. Before he could even move, a long sticky tongue stuck out and licked his face.

"Ack" Percy said trying to escape the slobber. "Hey girl. Hey. It's good to see you too. I missed you as well." For a brief moment Percy smiled, setting aside his worries temporarily to greet his faithful pet, Mrs. O'Leary.

The Hellhound was eagerly licking at Percy and he could see her tail wagging furiously. He expected that might be because he was part Devil now and it made him of the Underworld of a sort. She probably recognized this and was showing her excitement for it.

As Percy managed to pull himself away from the long licks of his pet, he saw the body of two of his friends descend from her back. The first he was expecting. The second could turn out to be a very welcome surprise depending on what he found.

"Good girl" the voice of Nico said as he made his way up to his cousin. Nico's hands gently patted the sleek fur of the only friendly hellhound. "Some reinforcements decided to tag along" he continued giving his boyfriend an exasperated look.

"Well somebody needs to watch your back. Hey Percy" Will chimed in completely ignoring Nico. The sunshine kid had a sad smile on his face as he looked at Percy.

He realized that both Nico and Will now knew what happened, how he had been turned partially into a devil, and Will was probably unsure how to act around him. Percy bristled slightly at the thought figuring that a lot of the campers would probably be feeling unsure around him too. Fortunately, Nico didn't seem to suffer that same affliction, though Percy did see him eyeing him warily.

 _I'd rather be analyzed than pitied_ he thought before brushing it off. He had a goal and they needed to get moving as soon as possible. He could deal with the awkwardness later.

"I'm glad you're both here." Percy said sincerely. He tried to convey his thankfulness in his eyes and voice and both seemed to pick up on it. They nodded as if it was a given and he shouldn't have expected anything less.

Percy waved his hands and indicated that they should head into the house to which Nico and Will followed. Percy expected Mrs. O'Leary to follow but instead she only gave a mighty yawn that rang out like a minor yell before plopping down on the ground and began snoozing.

"Mrs. O'Leary?" Percy asked her. She stirred slightly before flopping her tongue out and continued to sleep.

"She's too tired" Nico said from his side after a moment. "I wouldn't have been able to help you like you seem to need after traveling here. The journey is very far and takes a lot of energy." He continued answering Percy's unasked question.

Percy just nodded in reply before turning around and going into his house.

He felt mixed emotions about Mrs. O'Leary being around. On one side, he would have really appreciated her help in trying to locate his mom and Asia. Her nose was a better tracker than even a satyr's and it would have made things easier. But on another side, he could tell she would be almost no use in a fight right now. She was too tired and he wouldn't risk her life needlessly like that. They already had a destination so it was just a matter of getting there.

That wasn't to mention that his parents didn't think it the best idea to keep her around in such a populated place. There was a reason Percy asked Chiron to look after her. Plus, with a new sibling on the way, Paul was a little hesitant to how she would react to the addition. Mrs. O'Leary was a very large pet after all.

As they entered the house Percy quickly put Mrs. O'Leary out of his mind and turned to address his friends.

"Alright, I know what the Olympians have said about me. Yes, I am part Devil now. But I'm also still a demigod. We don't know what that means yet but that doesn't matter right now." Will looked like he wanted to interject but a sharp elbow from Nico got him to shut up.

"What's going on Percy?" Nico asked. "You said something about taking out some Fallen Angels?" The gleeful look on his face was extremely eerie with the few streams of moonlight that reflected off of it. Even Will looked a little perturbed by Nico's attitude.

At the mention of the Fallen Ones Percy's face grew into one of anger. He kept his emotions on a tight leash until he could unload on his enemies but even still the sky outside was starting to darken with clouds again. Neither Nico nor Will noticed the weather being indoors but they could clearly see how pissed off he was.

"My mother…" he began before breaking off in pain. He didn't need to continue as his lack of words were all the confirmation both his cousin and second cousin needed. Nico's looks darkened further and even the pacifist in Will clamored to make whoever took them pay in retribution. Will had grown close to Sally in the few months he'd done prenatal checkups on the woman. Percy knew Will saw parts of his own mother in Sally.

"Where?" was all Nico asked back.

"I don't know for certain but a I believe they took them up to an old abandoned church in town. They also took a friend of mine as well. I need your help to get everyone back." He didn't even need to ask them for help because they agreed without him posing the question. Both were nodding their heads before he could even finish speaking.

"Nico" he continued, "do you think you can shadow travel us up to the church?" Tiamat's words from earlier ringing in his head but since Nico appeared on Mrs. O'Leary he had hopes it would work.

"Yes." Nico said making Percy sigh in relief. But then he continued. "But it will take a lot more energy than just myself. I've done it with Reyna and Coach Hedge so it's possible and we're not going too far. But you're not a simple demigod anymore Percy. Frankly put, I don't know what kind of reaction your Devil body will have to shadow traveling."

"But isn't a Devil part of the Underworld?" Will asked.

Nico shook his head. "Devils are part of the Underworld but they aren't part of Hades. Shadow Traveling is a Hades power and those who are directly related through darkness. Thanatos, Nyx and her ilk fall under that gap but it all stems from powers under my father's control. And honestly, with how pissed off my dad is at you Percy, I don't think it's a good idea for you to travel that way anyways."

Percy looked at Nico realizing that his younger cousin was right. Hades had made it clear that his issue with Percy wasn't done and if he infringed on his domain his uncle would not hold back. He slammed his bare hand down on the countertop again, though without the armor no cracks appeared this time.

"How close is the church?" Will asked giving Percy's hand a cursory glance. Always the doctor that one.

"I sprinted from it to get here. At a dead run? Maybe 20 minutes? Maybe a little more depending." He tried thinking of how fast it took to get to his house but his earlier worrying prevented him from thinking clearly of the timing.

"Well is there another way we can take to get there? What about Paul's car?" Will suggested trying to think of solutions.

Thinking on it Percy knew his step-fathers car wasn't in the garage but he did remember seeing something else that could be useful. A grin appeared on Percy's face at the thought of finally using his gift. It would be well worth the tongue lashing he knew his mother would give him if he managed to save her first.

Percy didn't say anything but nodded his head and gave them another wave to follow him. He hurried down the hallway to the garage door and could hear their footsteps behind him. Tiamat began speaking in his head as he walked.

 _ **A good solution. It is quick and will get you there fast. Will it fit three though?**_

Percy threw open the door to the garage and immediately started walking over to his motorcycle from Hermes. His mother had bought a cover for the bike after he was forbidden from using it so he wouldn't admire it's looks and become tempted to take it out. She still planned on selling it but with her still finishing up her story for the publisher she was waiting until after to actively sell it.

Gently, as if unwrapping a fragile gift, he pulled away the cover and took in the appearance of his bike. It was as sleek and beautiful as he remembered. The silver chrome was still shining as if it was recently waxed and it blended well with the blue and green coverings. The wave like patterns called out to Percy like the familiar sea he was from. The curved seat was spacious for a bike but it would only fit two max.

"Woah" Will said stepping up next to him. The son of Apollo was clearly just as captivated as Percy was though when Nico stepped up he just looked at it. Percy assumed he wasn't impressed due to the lack of black his cousin seemed to love.

"Nico, you think you can shadow travel yourself there without any issues?" Percy asked. Will was still admiring the bike though his cousin turned to him at the question.

Nico nodded not saying anything else.

"Good. Then I'll take Will on the bike and you can shadow travel to us when we get there. Sounds good?"

Nico gave Percy a raised eyebrow but again nodded in confirmation.

"You can ride this thing?" Will asked to the side of Percy finally turning to them.

Percy flinched slightly but recovered quickly. He didn't think either of them saw the reaction fortunately.

"Of course, I can" Percy said trying to sound confident. He knew the general idea of riding the bike. He'd ridden on a moped scooter Hermes had lent him a few times for errands in New York. He didn't think it would be that different.

Will must have believed him because he only gave a smile in response. There was an excited gleam to his eyes.

"So, what's the deal with these Fallen Angel assholes?" Nico asked once they had agreed on their travel arrangements. He put his left hand in the jacket pocket of his bomber jacket while his right hand rested on the pummel of his Stygian Iron sword.

When Percy noticed Nico's sword he felt a sense of unease spread over his being. He knew that Stygian Iron was deadly to both monster and mortal alike but it seemed as if his Devil nature was reacting poorly to the special weapon. Anaklusmos didn't act that way so he was curious as to why Nico's sword did. Maybe it just had something to do with the metal being of Hades realm.

"The church we're headed to is their base. Apparently, their leader, some guy named Azazel I think, set them up to watch over a couple of people in town. I was friends with a nun there but those assholes have treated her like crap and have captured her and my parents. I gave her my address to come visit me but it seems when she tried to get away from them she made it here and they just took everyone."

Percy's face told it all. The obvious was the anger and fury he felt towards the Fallen Angels for taking everyone. There was also pain at the thought that what happened was indirectly his fault. But deep down there was fear. There was always fear when he faced down his enemies but he hadn't felt it this bad since Annabeth had fallen off the cliff with Dr. Thorn. He couldn't live with himself if something happened to his mom.

Knowing that Nico and Will could probably see some of the emotions on his face he hardened his looks and gave them both a fierce glare. It wasn't directed at them but it was meant to convey the seriousness he felt.

"The church is at the top of a hill and we should be there quickly with the motorcycle. I plan on making an entrance so I want you two to wait a few moments before following me in. Our goal is to get my parent and Asia out as quickly as possible. If we need to take out Fallen Angels as we go then we do but I do know there are some mortal followers with them." Percy then nodded his head down towards Nico's sword. "Not all of them are bad I'm sure but we incapacitate anyone who gets in our way. You'll have to handle some of the mortals because of your sword Nico."

His cousin looked at him and nodded in agreement. Nico didn't have the same respect for life as Percy did due to his nature as a son of Hades and pretty much living in the Underworld but Percy knew he wouldn't take any lives needlessly.

Turning to look at Will, Percy saw the grimace appear on his face briefly before he nodded in agreement as well. As a healer, Will would be more focused on helping people than hurting them and as he didn't have any Stygian Iron on him he wouldn't be able to hurt mortals anyway.

Percy then turned and got on his bike. The keys were resting on the front of the seat where they were originally left and Percy picked them up before inserting them. He kicked up the kickstand and put the bike into neutral. Slowly, Percy pulled down on both the clutch and the front brake before taking a deep breath and pressing the start button. It didn't start right away, probably due to this being the first time he's taken it out, so he gently moved the throttle and pressed the start button again. This time the bike purred to life giving off a sweet rumble that feed into Percy's adrenaline.

Will quickly stepped up beside Percy and grabbed the nearby helmet resting on the back wall. There was only one so Percy let Will use it. Nico watched the two before he stepped up against the house door and pushed the button opening the garage door.

Percy nodded his thanks and once Will was firmly secure on the bike he slowly walked it out of the garage and into the driveway.

The weather was still building up to something terrible but the storm was being held back by Percy. He would unleash it when he got close to the church to hide their coming.

With a quick glance back at Nico, Percy gave his cousin a nod to which he received one in return. Nico pressed the garage door button again and slowly the door began closing.

Will reached around and gently grabbed hold of Percy's torso. Percy yelled out to ask if Will was ready to go over the loudness of the bike and the son of Apollo gave a few light smacks against his chest to indicate his agreement.

Pulling the throttle back hard, the bike roared in anticipation and Percy let go of the brake. Together, the two demigods took off down the road ready to face whatever was about to greet them. But more importantly, Percy was ready to rescue his parents and friend.

* * *

The ride to the church was much quicker than Percy even anticipated it being. The weather outside kept most of the residents locked up in their homes so there were no pedestrians out walking and it seemed most of the people commuting from work had already made their way home. A 20-minute sprint quickly became a five-minute motorcycle ride.

There were a few close encounters as this was Percy's first time riding the bike but he managed to play off any wobbling as avoiding potholes. Or at least he thought so. Will didn't comment on his driving either way.

When they were at the base of the hill Percy finally indulged in his growing powers. The storm clouds had followed them all the way from his house and were swirling and churning with a fierceness only Percy's face matched. He released the first rumble of thunder and then quickly followed it up with a second.

A series of grumbling and booming escaped from the skies the likes of which he could only compare to the spring semester before he had to track down Zeus' Master bolt. It easily covered up the roaring of his motorcycle.

When they finally arrived at the top of the hill he quickly turned off his bike a few hundred yards from the church. He pulled it off slightly to the side and grabbed Will into the forest to observe their setting.

The church didn't look any different than when he saw it earlier. The stone was white with hints of brown and black on the bottom layers from the accumulation of dirt. The windows were tinted dark from the stained glass and Percy couldn't see inside them due to a lack of light. Up top he saw the bell tower with the bell in the steeple beginning to wave with the increase in wind.

Suddenly, Nico stepped out from the shadows behind him and moved up next to him. Will was taking off the helmet from his face and didn't notice him at first but quickly stepped up to join the two demigods.

"The steeple has a ladder on the outside leading up to the top. I didn't see any way inside other than the front entrance." Nico said quietly. He followed that up with "I did see some Fallen Angels outside in the back though."

Percy nodded his head in thought.

 _We should probably take out the few Fallen Angels outside as to prevent them from alerting the others of our presence_ he thought to himself.

 _ **I thought you wanted to make your entrance a spectacle?**_ The voice to Tiamat said in his head.

"I do, but I don't want them to break away or escape" he answered out loud.

 _ **Why not just distract them then?**_ She sounded eager to make that suggestion. If she had a face Percy could imagine that it was smiling with gleefulness. He knew he sometimes had a smirking smile that was probably similar when coming up with crazy ideas.

"Yes" he said giving a slight smirk in agreement. "Let's see how these Fallen Angels deal with the son of the Stormbringer."

"Umm Percy" the voice of Will said hesitantly from his left. Percy turned to look at the blonde and noticed that he was fidgeting slightly.

"What's up Will?" he asked concerned. He needed both him and Nico to be on top of their games if they were to succeed.

"Are you feeling alright? I know the trauma of potentially losing a family member can induce some… odd behaviors." He struggled to get out.

Percy looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Will wasn't really making any sense. Yes, Percy was worried but he had a plan of action now which didn't seem like it was Earth-shattering.

"What do you mean?" he asked somewhat hurriedly.

Before they could answer, Percy began letting out the storm in small spurts, feeling some of his power leave him. Rain began making a slow descent from the skies and the wind began getting out of hand. Each droplet that hit Percy restored some of his power though it wasn't enough to fully offset his expenditure. In time he knew he would run out of energy to maintain this.

He let his emotions feed into the storm he was creating. His anger, his fear, his pain were all pushed into his power and gradually the storm began getting worse. The trees around them began shaking with each gust of wind and some leaves fell around them. The rain picked up it's pace and soon it wasn't just falling down directly into the ground but coming from all sides. It wasn't at full power yet but it was only a matter of time.

"He means you're talking to yourself." Nico yelled bluntly to be heard over the storm. Turning to look at his cousin, Percy saw the slight sense of wariness return to him. Nico was eyeing him cautiously though he still seemed like he was trying to decide what to do.

"Wha-" he began only to be interrupted by his other half.

 _ **They mean me hatchling**_ Tiamat said out loud. The random voice caused both demigods to jump and Nico whipped out his sword ready to defend himself. The dark aura the blade gave off was even worse than when it was sheathed.

"What the Hades was that?" Will asked looking around everywhere.

 _ **I am Tiamat**_ the dragon said aloud in answer. _**I am a soul sealed in Percy's Sacred Gear.**_

"Sacred Gear?" Will continued. He looked utterly perplexed and Percy couldn't help but empathize. It was only a short time ago that he found out about them himself.

"Yes," Percy said in answer. "Look, we don't really have time to get into it now but apparently it is some kind of device that boosts my powers. I don't really know the details about it myself. For now, let's focus on getting my parents and friend out of that place huh?" He pointed at the church whilst giving Will a look indicating now wasn't the time for such questions. Will had the common sense to just nod and look at the church.

Slowly, Percy and the demigods began creeping closer and closer to the church. The storm was surely doing a great job of distracting those in the back and the still rumbling thunder would keep any noise they made to a minimum. If any even escaped at all.

"Alright, so here's how we'll go," Percy said when they were only a few yards away from the front entrance. "I'll head in first and then in a minute you two follow after." Both Nico and Will grunted in acknowledgement.

Percy took a deep breath and made his way to the front door. It was much bigger than he expected as he never really did get a close up look at any point. The brown, mahogany wood was simple in design but was easily twice the size of Percy. Knowing the door would be slightly heavy due to the mahogany, Percy slammed his hands on the door with force causing it to burst inwards with a loud bang.

He strode inside with all the confidence in the world. At least outwardly that's what he showed. Inside Percy was a pent-up ball of anger and fear.

As he took his first steps inside he noticed how dark it was. There were no lights on or candles lit anywhere and with the storm, any moonlight there might have been was absent. The only light that showed the surroundings was the crash of lightning outside that lit up small sections of the church.

Surprisingly though, Percy was able to make up most structures and looks. His eyes adjusted and the room took on a slightly red tinted glow letting him get a good look around. It didn't give him everything though so he wanted some more light.

Knowing that he had at least some control over the lightning, Percy willed a few select strikes outside directly behind the windows. When the lightning hit, Percy could make out a plain room with wooden pews lined in a row with a marble altar at the front. He could see a path up the side from the altar that he suspected led down to where everyone was.

He felt the presences of Nico and Will make their way through the doors when the sounds of clapping came from the front. Looking ahead, Percy could make up the face of the asshole exorcist Freed.

The son of Poseidon felt an unnatural level of hatred towards the man standing at the front. He'd grown up disliking and despising many men and women in his life and Freed found himself on the short list with the likes of Ares, Kronos, and Gabe.

"So glad you could join us" came the mocking voice of Freed. "And I see you brought a few more boy toys with you. I wonder how the blonde wonder will handle you sowing your oats with others?" He continued.

Percy grit his teeth at the implication. Nico already had a difficult time coming out in the first place and if he heard the voice of Freed making fun of him it would only end badly for everyone. Fortunately, the exorcist was speaking in Japanese so Nico or Will didn't hear him.

Or at least he didn't think they did. A quick look behind him confirmed that Nico indeed had no idea what was being said but it seemed Will somehow did. And he looked as pissed off as Percy had ever seen him.

"Fuck you, asshole" Will shouted back at Freed in Japanese. Percy had never heard him curse so he knew the son of Apollo was definitely angry. "We choose to be happy in our relationship. Keep your pigheaded opinions to yourself. Before we make you…" he let the threat linger in the air.

Nico, who remained completely ignorant to what was being said, clearly picked up on what Will's intention though. His face grew darker and the shadows seemed to bend around him closing in on him. To anyone who hadn't seen it before, it was terrifying. Freed stumbled backwards slightly from the sight of Nico but suddenly an anger overwhelmed him.

"Of course, you're unholy abominations." He continued looking directly at Will. "A relationship is between a man and a woman. You two a disgrace to mankind everywhere. I look forward to ridding the world of you." Freed's voice retained its manic tenor though the hatred in his eyes burned with a new-found fury.

"Whatever happened to love thy neighbor?" Will mocked him.

"Neighbor?" Freed answered laughing crazily. "You two aren't my neighbors. Look at you, two gay boys cavorting with the likes of Devils. I'll be doing both yourself and the world a favor by killing you."

He suddenly brought out his sword of light that illuminated the entire front of the church.

 _I thought Kiba grabbed that before?_ he asked himself.

 _ **It's a sword of light. Maybe he couldn't touch it without it hurting him?**_ Tiamat mused back in his mind.

He just hummed in agreement. He could figure out what happened later.

"Where's Asia and my parents?" Percy asked stepping forward surefooted. Each step seemed to bring about a crash of lightning and thunder outside.

"Oh, you mean that dirty, devil loving whore of a sister?" Freed rhetorically asked. "She's right underneath us you know. Right beneath that altar actually. All you have to do is make your way into the basement." Percy could see there was something more to what he was saying but he didn't have time to guess right now. He at least knew for a fact Asia was here so he would get her out now.

"And my parents?" he asked tightly. Percy's lips were pursed by the anger and stress he was feeling.

"You mean you have a devil loving mother?" Freed's voice asked laughing loudly. It was as if he was laughing about the greatest joke he'd ever heard.

"Where is she!" Percy yelled back. His hands were clasped in a fist that he was ready to unleash on the exorcist.

"Raynare brought that whore sister in. She found her at some house and I heard there was a scuffle outside. I have no doubt she killed them by now." Freed continued laughing at Percy. "She did them a favor so don't worry. Nobody could ever love devil scum such as yourself."

The words were not unfamiliar to him though they weren't said quite that way before. In his mind he recalled times where Gabe had scolded him and told him nobody loved him. He thought back to the times Athena had told him that he wasn't worthy of her daughter's love. So many people in his life had constantly doubted and undermined Percy. But he knew he always had his mother he could go back to. She did love him he knew. She made so many sacrifices for him.

Something hot trickled down Percy's cheek at the thought that his mother was dead. Slowly, he brought his hand up and felt a stream of water on his face. Tears.

"Nico" he asked quietly while the maniac exorcist continued laughing from the front. Will had clearly understood what was said as he gave Percy a slightly pitying look.

"What is going on?" the son of Hades asked frustrated. Nico didn't understand anything that was said and one look from Will confirmed to Percy that neither would give the full scope of what was said. Rather, Percy merely asked a question.

"Can you sense if my mother's alive Nico?" His own voice sounded distant even from Percy's perspective. It wasn't heartbroken or angry like he might have expected. Instead it was simply cold. He needed to know if what Freed said was true.

Nico eyed him for a quick second but closed his eyes using his powers. Freed continued laughing, luckily, but Percy knew that wouldn't last long. Fortunately, not a few seconds passed and Nico was back looking at Percy with pity. Percy gulped at what was coming.

"I can't say for certain what's happened to her. I've felt her life force fluctuate a few times before we came here but the church magic is messing with my powers. I can say that it doesn't look to good though."

Normally, people followed up sentences like that with an apology. "I'm sorry for your loss" or "I'm sorry for you" or some other condolence like that. Nico never did that though. Or at least it was very rare if he did. Death was just another part of the journey and he understood that better than anyone being who he was.

Percy needed confirmation. Nico said her life force fluctuated but she hadn't died yet. But he did know one person who could give him the answer he needed. And she was downstairs.

Turning back to look at Freed Percy saw the exorcist had gathered himself finally. Percy tensed his muscles ready to face down the mortal when a hand gently grabbed a hold of his shoulder. It was Will's.

"Go" he said to Percy looking at Freed with hate. "We'll deal with him and then follow you down. Go help your friend." Will's voice was resolute. Percy could count on his friends. He always had before.

Outside the storm had finally gotten to a point where it couldn't be contained any longer. The tree branches and limbs were shaking uncontrollably smacking into each other and breaking off towards the ground. Pieces that had fallen away were whipping in the winds. The rain was now pouring down harder than he'd ever managed before and he knew visibility outside was barely a few feet in front of him. It could easily be classified as a hurricane.

Taking out Riptide, Percy uncapped his pen letting the familiar bronze form in his hand. Behind him Nico had unsheathed his Stygian Iron sword and Will pulled out a bow and quiver of arrows. His sword and Will's arrows wouldn't have any effect on Freed, being that they were made of Celestial Bronze, but they could potentially distract him and allow Nico an opportunity to get a hit in.

Freed looked at the three demigods before smiling insanely and pulling out his handgun. Percy remembered how painful that thing was.

"The bullets will kill you. If you need to talk, talk in Greek." Percy said to Will and Nico in Greek. He didn't want Freed to know they spoke English in case he decided to sprout more homosexual nonsense to the pair and Nico overheard. Both others nodded their heads and together they took off down the aisle.

They were only a few steps in the church when they started running but it seemed as if they made it to Freed in no time. The exorcist fired off a few quick rounds but they were all aimed at Percy and subconsciously he willed the armor into existence. That didn't catch Freed off guard as he saw it last night but Will and Nico both stumbled in surprise and Percy found himself blowing past the exorcist before they knew what was happening.

His entire upper body was covered including his head. A helmet and visor had morphed itself around him not preventing him from seeing anything while providing him with the protection he needed against Freed's bullets.

As the exorcist was about to lower his gun and shoot at the lower body of Percy, Nico suddenly appeared from the side of Freed and swung his sword wildly.

"Go" the voice of Will rang out again. "I said we'll handle this asshole. Go!" Will eyed Percy's armor briefly before he gave a quick shove on Percy's arm and pushed the sprinting demigod down the hallway where Freed appeared from.

His momentum carried him into the hall but he turned back quickly only to see Will and Nico holding Freed back. The exorcist was trying to shoot his gun but Will kept shooting arrows at the hand holding the gun wherever it pointed. Freed kept pulling back as he shot making the bullets go far wide of their target and frustrating him further. If he'd known the arrows wouldn't hurt him he doubted he would even be pulling back.

Knowing that both of them had it covered, Percy ran down the hallway quickly finding the basement doors and temporarily releasing his armor. He'd call it forth when he needed it again and right now speed was more important.

Opening the door, a breeze of warm air blew from the stairs. The path down was dark and he could hear chanting voices from below saying something. Behind him he could hear the smashing of wood and the ringing of Freed's gun firing.

Taking a deep breath, Percy quickly ran down the stairs plunging himself into the darkness below.

* * *

As Percy approached the bottom of the stairs the chanting ceased. It was creepy listening to a group of people yelling and talking in unison but for them to suddenly stop right as Percy reached the bottom of the stairs was a hundred times worse. It was like that chanting was a timer and now that it was done he was out of time.

Realizing that he might be too late, Percy ripped open the door at the bottom of the stairs and stumbled into a wide-open room.

The room was filled with a Fallen Angel and mortals alike each wearing black clothes and hiding their faces. Most of them had some weird fedora type hat on, just like he remembered on that Dohnaseek fellow, and each were wearing gloves. Honestly, if this was any other situation, Percy would have laughed at the horrible Michael Jackson impersonations.

There was a set of stairs leading up to a platform where the Fallen Angel hovered at the top. Percy recognized her immediately as the Angel that killed him, Raynare, and she was standing in front of something. A set of candles arrayed in a semi-circle were lit behind the black-winged angel giving Raynare an evil red glow to her.

"Welcome Devil" the voice of Raynare spoke out. It was as mature and deep as Percy remembered it being. Raynare turned and stepped forward then and revealing what was behind her.

Latched onto a giant glowing cross was a bound Asia Argento. She was barely covered with rags and metal chains linked across the cross binding her tightly to the heavenly symbol. Her head hung limply though Percy saw her try and lift it as Raynare spoke out.

"Asia!" Percy shouted towards her. His voice was hard but Percy knew there were hints of worry in it. Raynare must have picked up on it too as she mocked him.

"Come to save _poor_ , _whittle Asia?_ " she said changing her voice to the innocent one she used on Issei. "Well you're too late!" she said switching back to her normal voice.

"Asia!" Percy shouted again ignoring the Fallen Angel. "Can you hear me Asia!"

Asia managed to finally lift her head and look around. She made eye contact with Percy and gave him a small smile before mumbling something incoherent.

"What did you do to her!" Percy yelled at the Fallen One. He could feel his already ridiculous reserves of anger grow worse. Gripping Anaklusmos tight in his hand he started making his way up to group of ritualists.

Suddenly, a spear of light flew down from above and Percy had to jump to the side to avoid it. Moving into a roll, Percy managed to get away from the spear fairly easily but he saw it left a small crater in the ground where it impacted. These guys were not screwing around.

Percy smiled at the thought of a fight. 40 to 1? He'd beaten worse odds than that before. But he wanted answers from the Fallen Angel first.

"Too cowardly to fight me yourself Raynare?" he taunted her. "You have to rely on the pathetic hopes of your servants to defeat me?" He saw a few of the mortals shuffle nervously at that. He had guessed that the Fallen Angels hadn't exactly treated their underlings with respect and care based on what Asia experienced last night. It seemed he was accurate when a few of them looked back up at the woman.

"I've already killed you once Devil" she said completely calmly. He could tell his taunts hadn't been as effective as he hoped though it was only the beginning of this duel. "As to what I did to Asia here…" Raynare gently ran the back of her hand along Asia's cheek before turning and giving Percy a wide smile.

The voice of Asia suddenly rang out yelling in pain. Percy moved his head quickly to take in his friend's screaming. The giant Cross she was chained too began glowing an ethereal green and her voice became higher and higher pitched.

"Hang on Asia!" Percy shouted running up to the mortals. This time, no spear came and they actually parted for him. He didn't trust them but he was moving too fast to worry about attacks from behind. His sword hung limply in his hand ready to defend himself in case anyone did try anything but as he reached the bottom of the stairs nobody had even attempted to attack him.

Some he assumed was because he had challenged Raynare directly and while she didn't accept it, she didn't decline it either. Others he saw restrain themselves probably due to a bit of fear. Those ones kept moving their eyes to his glowing sword wondering what it would due to them. In either case he didn't care too much as long as they moved over.

As he began his ascent he saw the glowing green light become even more prominent and Asia's voice reached its highest pitch yet. A bright object began forming in the center of the green glow and Percy somehow knew that if she lost that object it wouldn't matter what he did.

"You're too late Devil!" Raynare said laughing. And Percy saw she was right.

As Percy was midway up the stairs the object formed in the center and Asia gave out her loudest shriek before suddenly becoming still. The silence was a hundred times worse as Percy knew he was too late.

Raynare stepped up to the nun and pulled the object from Asia. Percy got a glimpse of it for the first time and saw a pair of rings. He'd recognized them on Asia's fingers the other day when he walked her here.

 _ **Mhmm, her Sacred Gear**_ Tiamat said to him. She sounded sad which Percy could relate to.

As Percy reached the top of the platform he saw Raynare smile evilly at him but he didn't care about that right then. He was looking at the face of his newest friend, one of the only ones he'd actually made in Japan, and saw the light disappear from her eyes. Her happy, smiling face was replaced with an open mouth and her expression became completely vacant. He was watching yet another of his friends die right before his eyes and this one was by far one of the worst.

Asia had been such a naïve and innocent girl. She didn't deserve any of what happened to her.

Percy felt like something broke inside of him then. He'd watched too many people he cared about die. Bianca and Zoe and Beckendorf and Silena and Michael Yew. Now Asia seemed destined to be another name on that list.

"No" Percy said quietly running up to blonde. "No!" he shouted louder. She was his friend and she was dying. Percy could hear her breathing become more and more shallow.

Raynare was speaking to the side of Percy but the demigod wasn't paying attention to what she was saying. But then he realized the answer to saving Asia. Raynare had just shoved the glowing rings inside her body causing her to glow that same green Asia did when healing someone. Only on the Fallen Angel it reminded him of a sickly green rather than the vibrant emerald it was on Asia.

Quickly, Percy cut the chains down around Asia and she fell into his arms. He caught her gently and she gave him a small smile. It seemed that was all the energy she could spend.

"Just hang on Asia. You're going to be alright. Hang on for me. I'll get you out of here and you'll be back on your feet in no time." Percy spoke quickly trying to comfort the dying girl. He laid her on the ground as softly as he could before he squeezed her hand and turned to address Raynare.

The black-winged woman looked at him condescendingly though he could see her eyes held a hidden sense of glee to it.

"You're going to give me that Sacred Gear back" Percy said standing up and glaring at the woman. She had the gall to laugh at him. "And then I'm going to kill you" he continued.

"Please" she said in derision. "With Twilight Healing I'll be beloved. I'll be the most powerful Fallen Angel there is! All those pricks who screwed me over are going to get it now!" She flared her wings out wide letting each wing spread out as far as it could reach. The green glow slowly receded back into her body.

 _It's always about revenge_ Percy thought to himself. But he supposed it was one of the most powerful motivators there was. _Just look at me. I'm ready to kill this angel for what she did to Asia and potentially Mom_.

He narrowed his eyes at her and suddenly lunged forward towards the angel with Riptide ready to strike her down. Below the shouts of the mortal servants rang up alerting Raynare to the incoming strike but the Angel was watching his every move. She jumped into the air to get away but Percy anticipated something like that and instead swung Riptide down vertically catching Raynare's stomach and opening up a small gash.

Percy heard her hiss at the cut but before he could even follow it up with another attack she flew down from the platform to the ground below. Her hand was covering her wound and Percy could make out blood seeping down her legs.

Before he could even feel good about it though he saw a glowing green light appear over the wound and it slowly started to stitch itself back up. He growled in frustration.

"You can't defeat me devil" she said looking up at him. He could hear the faint breath of Asia behind him constantly reminding him he was on a clock.

"If I had a drachma for every time someone told me that… well let's just say even Midas would be jealous of me."

"Well I don't know about that. Jason said he was doing quite well for himself in Nebraska before they killed him" A voice suddenly said from the hallway. The figures of both Nico and Will emerged from the shadows and Percy felt himself let out a small breath. He had one half to keeping Asia alive, now he just needed to get her to Will and get the rings from Raynare.

Nico was clutching his arm and Percy could see some blood seeping down his elbow. Will was hobbling slightly though he looked in much better condition than Nico did. A few rips and tears existed in Nico's jacket meaning Freed must have gotten a few good swipes in.

"Who are you!?" Raynare shouted at the entryway whilst trying to keep her attention split between Percy and the newcomers. Her constant head shaking was amusing to Nico because he let out a small laugh.

"Me?" he asked innocently, "I'm your worst enemy." His face was grim but as he was speaking Percy could see him tilt it down and his eyes flashed with a hatred he hadn't seen since he told him Bianca died.

Raynare looked like she was about to say something else but Nico stepped forward and raised his hands in front of him directly on the ground.

"SERVE ME!" he said in the creepiest voice Percy had ever heard. It was cold and commanding.

Nothing happened for a moment and a few of the mortals laughed at what Nico said but the room was slowly getting colder and colder. Suddenly, the ground in front of Nico split open and Percy saw the hands of the dead rise above the surface.

Nico was using a lot of effort to bring forth these zombie warriors if the sweat and concentration on his face was anything to go by but soon a small horde of undead had risen from the ground. Percy remembered him saying above the church magic was interfering with his Hades powers and wondered if this was another example of that.

In front of Nico stood about five zombie English Red Coats, nine Samurai warriors, and 15 Greek Hoplites with spear and shield. There wasn't enough to completely offset the number of priests in the room but they would do nicely.

"Kill them" Nico commanded and as a group the zombies charged off into the stunned ranks of Fallen Angel servants.

What ensued was carnage and chaos. Percy could see some of the hoplites form a phalanx and march right into a section of priests to the right. They lunged with their spears stabbing into the mortal's skin. On the other side of the room, Percy saw the Red Coats being overwhelmed by a small group of priests aided by Raynare throwing down spears. None of the Red Coats had ammo on them apparently as they only charged with their bayonets. Quickly, they were falling down and attempting to stab from the ground.

In the center, the group of Samurai charged into the ranks of priests and cut down any who got in their way. These priests seemed to carry guns much like Freed did and tried shooting the zombies. The bullets were semi-effective as they tore off parts of the zombie's bodies they hit but it didn't slow them down at all.

This was exactly the opportunity Percy was waiting for so after surveying the best path he turned around and gathered Asia in his arms as securely as he could. He could still feel a slight pulse, though each second they wasted brought her closer to death. Making sure he had her as protected as possible, he took off down the stairs and plunged right into the madness.

His focus and determination were the only things that seemed to keep him alive as he plowed through the fighting. All around him he saw priests and zombies attacking and dying and while he did feel slightly bad about the mortals he was more worried about Asia. The jostling her head was experiencing should have been enough to wake anyone up but Asia seemed like she was at the point of no return.

He was holding the nun bridal style in his hands to prevent too much shaking and damage to her and was almost to Will standing at the entrance when a priest stepped in front of him and raised a sword of light. The options for choices he had were limited as he could either drop Asia to defend them or turn his back in a spin and let the priest attack him. He wasn't going to let anything else happen to his friend so making up his mind he began slowly turning in a circle when Nico appeared in front of him.

The Stygian Iron sword of Nico clashed loudly with the sword of light the priest wielded. The two swords were as opposite as night and day. Nico's face was sweating profusely by now and his arm movements were sluggish though he held the priest off as Percy made his way around them.

He pulled himself up in front of Will and began speaking.

"You need to hurry!" Percy shouted over the clamor of swords and spears clashing and guns firing. "There isn't much time. Get her upstairs and use your healing to save her."

Will looked back at Nico and grimaced at the sight of his boyfriend fighting before looking down and looking at Asia. He quickly realized the severity of what happened because he took her pulse and shook his head in the negative.

"She's too far gone Percy!" Will shouted back. "I'll do what I can but unless you have a miracle I won't be able to sustain her for long."

"Leave the miracles to me then" Percy yelled back. He knew Asia was pretty much gone but having Will, their camp medic and the son of the God of Medicine tell him it was hopeless only pissed him off. Will must have realized this as he grimaced again and gathered Asia in his arms before running up the stairs to the main part of the church as fast as he safely could with the nun.

Now that that was done with, Percy needed to find the missing piece of Asia. He looked around and saw most of the fighting had died down. Unfortunately, almost all of Nico's undead warriors had died and gone back down to Hades though he spotted a fair number of priests and Fallen Angel servants lying on the ground as well. Most likely dead if Percy's guess was right. Nico did order his zombies to kill them.

Nico was standing a few feet in front of Percy huffing and puffing loudly with his black sword hung down to the side. A few streaks of blood rolled down the blade forming a small puddle on the ground. In front of him was the remainder of the servants and Raynare herself.

Percy growled at the sight and stepped up pushing his cousin back slightly letting Nico collect his breath. He uncapped Riptide again filling the room with the glowing of his bronze weapon.

"Here's what is going to happen" Percy said furiously looking at everyone. All ten servants held swords of light in their hands though none of them seemed to be holding a gun. Raynare was behind them with a spear of light ready to toss it in their direction. "First, you're going to give me Asia's Sacred Gear back. It doesn't belong to you." The Fallen Angel scoffed at his words though didn't say anything. "Second, you're going to tell me where my mother is."

At first the Fallen Angel didn't say anything but she eyed him before smiling. "I killed her." She said simply. Raynare said the words as if she was speaking of a daily chore. I made the bed. I did the laundry. I killed your mother. Just your typical run of the mill housewife murder.

Percy felt himself shaking at the words. His breath hitched and he could feel all the fear and pain he had been holding in release and convert to anger. Of everything that could have happened this was a worst-case scenario. Asia lay dying upstairs with Will doubting he could help. Nico was still panting behind him and Percy saw that the wound on his arm was fairly bad. But the worst of all was the fact that his mother, the most amazing woman in the world, the woman who had given him birth and raised him and loved him no matter what he did or got into, was dead. And with her went his baby sibling whom he never even got to meet.

All the pent-up emotions Percy had been storing up came racing out with a vengeance. Something inside him burst out and he felt a hot glow spread through his body. He gave into the pain and power letting it wash over him like the ocean does the shore. A mighty yell escaped from his lips from the heartbreak he was experiencing and even from the basement he could hear the roar of thunder ring out from all around the church.

As if in slow motion Percy's wings emerged from his back forming their fin like structure. They spread out as wide as his outstretched arms and he felt like he was rising in the air. Gradually, the blue armor he'd grown accustomed to wearing began spreading all over his body.

The easiest forming was the torso and upper body as he had formed these multiple times now. The blue metal was hard and compact fitting snuggly to his body. Next came his arms and neck which was simply an extension of his torso. They moved down his arms like the coming tide waves into sand. His helmet came after that being his most recent acquisition to the armor. It was as strong as he remembered from up above and he could see the Fallen Angel and her servants look at him uncertainly then.

Last came his lower body. Slowly, the armor spread down his groin and legs pressing tightly to his shins and calves. They seemed to form a kind of overlapping armor with each successive layer resting over the previous. He felt the metal cover his feet and wings making sure there wasn't a single part of him exposed. Even a tail emerged from the back.

 _ **Chaos Karma Dragon!**_ Tiamat said loudly for all to hear. A few of the priests jumped at the noise though Raynare simply looked slightly unsure of herself.

Percy felt the power streaming through his body and when he looked down he saw a sight that would have brought a grin to his face if he wasn't in so much pain at losing his mother. He was covered in head to toe blue with the reptilian armor. Anaklusmos still rested in his right hand ready to attack and in his left a few flickers of electricity seemed to spark out.

"I'm going to kill you for that" he said softly. In the quietness of the room his whisper sounded like a shout and everyone shuffled on their feet.

Raynare opened her mouth to say something but before words could even escape Percy shot forward catching everyone off guard. He brought his left-hand forwards and gave out a scream letting an arc of lightning escape from his hand and striking his closest opponent. The priest didn't even have time to move before it struck him and his entire body shook in pain. He turned and grabbed a hold of his nearest ally only to transfer some of the electricity to him and knocked them both out.

The other priests didn't wait around to find out the fate of their friend and began attacking Percy with wild abandon. They brought their swords of light down at him though he simply raised Riptide and parried most of their blows. The priests had formed a circle around him with the remaining eight members and they tried to overwhelm him.

On Percy's right, a group of two priests swung their swords at the same spot. A foolish move. He stepped lightly backwards bringing Riptide upwards and colliding it with the first sword causing it to push back into the second. Another priest thought that he would try and take advantage of his maneuver and swung from his left.

Percy was waiting for this though and brought his left arm up grabbing a hold of the priest's wrist and squeezing in a vice grip. He let out another shout allowing lightning to escape from his palm and immediately filtering into the man. He opened his mouth to let out a scream but no sound managed to escape and he merely shook in pain.

Still holding the man's wrist, Percy whipped his arm pulling the priest with him into the oncoming attack of two other priests behind him. They were in the act of swinging their swords smiling madly at him thinking they would kill him. Their smiles quickly turned into looks of horror as their fellow priest was thrust in their path and they couldn't turn aside their blades. As one, their swords pierced their friends body cutting off his arm and stabbing him in the stomach.

Percy didn't let their attacks slow him down and quickly punched both of them in the head while they tried to pry their weapons from their fallen comrade's body. Normally a punch from him wouldn't be enough to knock out his opponent but with the metal armor on they went down like a rag doll.

Raynare stepped up then thrusting her spear directly at the exposed back of Percy. He was in the act of turning when he saw what the Fallen Angel was doing. Her spear was much too close to parry so he tried to jump away from the attack but even then, it would still graze him.

He prepared for the pain from the blow when a second sword showed up at his side knocking away the spear. Nico had finally recovered it seemed and was back in action against their opponents. He had wrapped up his arm in a makeshift bandage and Percy could see that the bleeding had stopped.

The Fallen Angel let out a frustrated groan and stepped back letting her minions fill the void.

"I'll handle these goons. You take her out." Nico said as both his and Percy's swords connected with a pair of blades from the priests. Percy nodded before disengaging with his opponent and running past them towards the Fallen One. Nico was now in a three on one match against the final priests though he seemed to be handling it alright having recovered some energy.

"I'm going to kill you for what you did" Percy said once he was in front of the woman. Her face still showed signs of uncertainty though she seemed relaxed about their coming fight as well. "You took Asia's Sacred Gear from her and she's almost dead because of you! But that doesn't even compare to you killing my mother and unborn sibling." His words were venomous and he wanted to let her know just how badly she fucked up.

Her confidence grew at that seizing on his words. "You should have been there while I watched the life drain from her eyes" she taunted back. She could see how each word was causing Percy more and more pain. "The fool woman tried to stop me from taking the nun but I got the last laugh. She didn't stand a chance against me." Raynare laughed as she drove each word home with a piercing shriek.

Percy couldn't take her words anymore and while she was laughing at him he ran up to her and swung Riptide with all his hatred. A spark of electricity surged down his blade. Raynare formed another spear of light out of nowhere and swung it upwards to defend herself but when the two weapons connected Percy released the electricity in the bronze letting the spear act as a conductor.

Being made out of light instead of metal, the spear was a poor conduit for his lightning but it still managed to travel down the weapon and shock her backwards. Percy quickly followed it up with a few well-placed cuts on her stomach and arms. More blood seeped down her body from each slash though it was trying to heal itself as well.

Raynare seemed to be in some kind of continuously green glow as with each cut of Anaklusmos her body began regenerating. It didn't happen immediately – Riptide seemed able to cause her a solid amount of pain – but with each consecutive cut the previous one was finishing healing.

Percy growled realizing that his plan wasn't working.

He chose a bit of an unorthodox method of attacking her next. He recapped Riptide dropping it to the ground and stepped up towards her. Percy never really liked wrestling in camp. Clarisse was the best and she enjoyed pounding him too much to make it worthwhile for him. But he did learn how to do it along with fighting with his fists so he jumped towards Raynare and began wailing on her body.

With each punch Percy felt like he was unloading a years' worth of heartache and sorrow. This woman had caused him immeasurable pain and he wanted to return the favor towards her hundred-fold. He let his arms gather lightning and each blow to her body released the energy shocking her core.

"Where is my mother!" Percy roared at her. "WHAT. DID. YOU. DO. WITH. HER. BODY?!" Each word was emphasized with a fist smashing into her body. He felt bones break inside and she coughed up blood. His metal fists were easily destroying this woman but the only thing he cared about now was finding his mother.

The least he could do was give her a proper burial and let her rest in peace.

The Fallen Angel was on the ground whimpering in pain. Percy couldn't believe this was the same monster who managed to kill him. He must have been a complete idiot to have died by her hands. But now he was getting his redemption for everything she caused him.

His mind flashed back to parts of Tartarus where his emotions and desire to live had gotten the better of him. His viciousness against Arachne. His want to cause the Goddess of Misery the agony she tried to inflict on him. He remembered how distraught Annabeth had looked at him making him think he was a monster. It hurt then.

But not anymore.

Now he officially was a monster. He didn't care about holding back. He only cared about inflicting the most amount of pain as possible on her.

Percy reached down then and grabbed a hold of Raynare by the throat. He lifted her into the air easily with only one hand looking at how pathetic she was. Her body was still slowly healing though it was temporarily covered in black and blue bruises.

Knowing that if he got them into the storm he could do practically anything to her he brought her close and looked deep into her violet eyes. He let her see the pain and despair and hatred he had for her in his own through his helmet. Then before she could recover more, Percy grabbed a hold of the chain of her corset and slammed her into the ground smashing her head and back. She whimpered in pain but he didn't let her regain her breath and whipped her around with all his strength before releasing her upwards.

He watched as she soared towards the ceiling and was surprised as she burst through it. Percy expected her to collide into the roof before falling towards the ground but her explosion from the basement shocked him.

He looked down at his hands as they balled into a fist. He needed to get up there now so she didn't escape. She still needed to give him answers before he killed her and got Asia's Sacred Gear back. The thought of Asia caused a small pang in his heart. Will was probably at his powers end with how long he'd been trying to keep her alive at this point. So, he quickly turned around and ran back towards the hallway giving a shove at a priest who's back was turned facing Nico.

The priest stumbled forward allowing Nico to face the other one on one. Percy saw the body of the third priest on the ground not breathing. His body gave off a cold chill and Percy knew his soul had been claimed by Nico's Stygian Iron. It was only a matter of seconds before Nico finished them both off.

As he reached the stairs he could hear voices at the top talking. The wind and rain seemed to have made it through the building somehow but Percy only relished in the thought it would give him the power he needed to finish off Raynare. Even with that Twilight Healing he would find a way to kill her.

He uncapped Riptide again when he finally stepped into the main part of the church. He saw Raynare struggling to move though she was being supported by two other Fallen Angels. Percy cursed himself slightly for not dealing with them earlier and instead distracting them. He walked slowly onto the transept taking in his surroundings.

Standing not 20 feet in front of him was Raynare and the two Fallen Angels he saw earlier today unfurling their wings looking like they were about to take off. Percy saw a door in the back corner that must have been the entrance the other Fallen Ones used.

Will was mumbling over the prone body of Asia and Percy could see the glow of gold shining off his hands. The demigod son of Poseidon let out a small breath of relief as that meant the nun was still alive. Will's face looked haggard though so Percy knew he was almost at his limits. Healing mortals was slightly different than healing demigods.

To the right side of Percy stood the figures of Rias and her peerage, as she called them. Akeno stood directly behind her watching the Fallen Angels while Kiba was to her right holding the same black sword Percy recognized from last night. Both Koneko and Issei brought up the rear with Issei using some kind of red metal on his left arm. It was a lot like Percy's and he heard the voice of Tiamat growl angrily while looking at it.

Turning back to watch the Fallen Angels, Percy saw them take to the air and try and fly out of the building. But Percy was close to his element now. There was no building and basement floor blocking off his powers from reaching him. He could feel himself connect more strongly with the storm outside.

The storm _he_ created.

It obeyed his call and call it Percy did. He closed his eyes briefly and demanded the power from the weather. Thrusting his hand out he reached out to the skies and called forth the most powerful lightning bolt he could summon. He didn't think it had the same power as either Thalia's or Jason's might have but Percy knew it would be enough. And when he saw the bolt crash down through the open doorway and strike down the blue-haired angel Percy knew he would be using this power more often. He subconsciously wondered if he had somehow access to this power even when Tiamat and his Sacred Gear was locked away.

Raynare and the Lolita dressed Fallen Angel stood around their friend as she writhed on the ground crying in pain. Her voice was hoarse from the electricity surging through it. Percy understood the pain having been zapped by both Thalia and Jason before. He yearned to call forth another strike and this time hit Raynare with it.

"Were you going somewhere Raynare?" he asked her mockingly. She wanted to mock him earlier so he would return the sentiment now. His helmet covered his face but when she saw him and paled he knew she could tell just how badly he wanted to kill her.

"You didn't answer my question and I don't like asking twice," He continued. "WHERE. IS. MY. MOTHER!" Each yell was punctuated by Percy running towards the black-winged monsters and the Lolita girl's eyes widened when Raynare stepped back and shoved her in Percy's way.

He didn't even hesitate when the girl tried to attack him with a spear of light instead grabbing the weapon and whipping it around flinging her away as he sliced her with Riptide. The spear burned slightly in his hand even with his armor so he brought it down on his knee snapping it in two before throwing it away and watching it disintegrate into nothing.

Raynare tried to back away but the blocked-in exit left no room for escape. Percy had her corned again and he was going to do whatever it took to find out what exactly happened to his mom.

At least he was until the voice of Will broke the silence.

"Percy" Will said slowly in English. His voice sounded exhausted but he spoke with the same clarity he did when giving medical orders. "She's out of time Percy. We need that miracle and we need it now."

Percy reached out and grabbed the throat of Raynare squeezing tightly and cutting off her oxygen supply. The once beautiful woman was marred with broken cheeks and a disfigured jaw though he knew she could still speak. Raynare gasped and tried to claw herself free from his grip but his armor made it so nothing she did hurt him.

"I'm going to give you till the count of three and you're going to tell me what happened to my mother. If you don't by then…" he let the threat linger. He gave another squeeze just as tightly as the first and causing her to wheeze in pain.

"One" he said smoothly. He was watching her eyes but she didn't look like she was going to budge. He raised Riptide menacingly as a threat to no avail.

"Two" he continued tightening his grip. He had left a little room for her to breathe and answer before but now it seemed like she was willing to die for her crimes.

And die she would but it was going to be a slow agonizing death as far as Percy was concerned.

"Where is my mother!" he yelled slamming her back into the jagged rocks behind her. "Where is she!" he followed up with again. He didn't realize it at first but he could feel tears once again trickle down his face. Percy kept shouting and slamming the Fallen Angel hoping she would crack but her resolve never broke.

He didn't even follow up with three but just continued slamming her back into the rocks. A few sharp edges pierced her torso and he saw blood again trickling down her body. Her breath was ragged and her eyes fluttered in and out of consciousness.

That was when he knew he wasn't going to get an answer from her. Even when her life was being taken from her she had to be a bitch.

Before Percy could finish the job off, Rias stepped up beside him and laid her hand on his arm. He turned around to look at the redhead and saw nothing but concern in her eyes. Even through his metal armor he could feel her light touch. It was her soft voice that broke him though.

"We found your mother Percy. She's alright. No harm has befallen her."

Percy didn't know how to react at first. On one hand Rias had just given him the best news he heard in his entire life. And that included winning the wars and being offered godhood. But on the other hand, Raynare had flat out told Percy she killed his mom. He thought back to his front yard and the scuffle that had taken place based on the distended grass and the broken glass and blood in his kitchen. The evidence was right there that Raynare had killed Paul and his mom.

But something in Rias' voice called out to Percy. She had lied to him before but she seemed to genuinely want him to be a member of her peerage and family. She promised him that he would be treated like family. And since he agreed to the test run of the peerage she hadn't lied to him as far as he knew. Granted it had only been a day but it was a start.

Percy retracted his helmet revealing his face to Rias. He knew it was bloated and red from his tears but he didn't care. If he couldn't cry about his mother than he was worse than a monster.

"Where?" he asked quietly. He kept his grip strong against the angel but she seemed to have lost most of the will to fight at that point. The occasional kick made its way to him but his armor protected him.

Rias gave him a small smile before speaking. "She's at the hospital now with Paul. Everyone's ok and healthy. There's a little surprise waiting for you when you get there."

Her blue eyes looked so earnest that Percy couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time. He believed her. His mom was alright. And if Rias was right then he had a bundle of joy waiting for him too.

He gave Rias a smile at that before turning back to Raynare. The Fallen Angel had retained her consciousness and when Percy looked at her he gave her his fiercest wolf glare reserved only for gods and enemies who crossed him. And her lies about his mother crossed the biggest line.

Percy squeezed her even tighter letting his metal claws dig into her neck causing the sharp nails to pierce flesh. It wasn't deep but each puncture let a few drops of blood out.

"You lied to me Raynare" he said softly. His face was calm and stoic now but inside he was a raging hurricane. The outside of the church matched his inside.

"And now you're going to die. But not before giving me Asia's Sacred Gear."

With one last squeeze, Percy then judo flipped the Fallen Angel onto the ground and straddled her. He thought about how he was going to go about getting Asia's Sacred Gear when the words of Tiamat rang in his head as he climbed the stairs a few minutes ago.

Without performing the same ritual downstairs that Raynare did he had no way of getting the Sacred Gear on his own. Not to mention he had no idea of how it was accomplished anyway. But he did have another source who might be able to help him.

He decided to call on divine intervention this time and hoped his father was in a listening kind of mood. Percy doubted this was the kind of Father/Son bonding Poseidon had in mind when he suggested it. Then again, they were Greek so maybe this could be considered somewhat normal.

 _Father_ he began praying in his head. _I need the Sacred Gear this Fallen Angel has. She has stolen it from another. Please assist me._

It was silent for a minute with everyone watching him. Rias stood behind him with eyes on his back and the rest of the others merely looked on in curiosity. Raynare looked up at him with her broken and beaten body waiting for the inevitable.

 **I cannot assist without some kind of sacrifice** the voice of Poseidon suddenly spoke in his head. Percy jumped slightly at his father's words but nodded when he processed it.

 _I will make a sacrifice once I get home. Please dad. I swear to you I will._

Nobody said anything further and Percy feared that Poseidon had retreated when his father's voice's surprised him.

 **I accept the terms. It will have to be a big sacrifice though my son. You are not mortal so I am capable of helping but something of this magnitude requires a personal sacrifice. Do not think to ask this of me again though. I am able to interfere this time as the Sacred Gear does not belong to this one. True owners of Sacred Gears I am unable to intercede as it comes from Chaos herself.**

Percy heaved a sigh of relief and agreed to the bargain.

 _I swear dad. I will offer a major sacrifice when I get home. Thank you. Thank you so much_.

Poseidon didn't follow up with anything but Percy could feel his father's influence in the atmosphere of the church. Godly energy swirled around and interacted with his Devil nature. The other devils looked around warily as they clearly sensed it too.

Suddenly another streak of lightning shot down into the building. This time through an open gap in the one Percy created earlier though not of his calling. The arc of lightning hit Raynare squarely in the chest and rolled through the body stopping her green glow entirely. Percy looked down at the Fallen Angel only to see that her eyes were wide open in shock and her mouth was open in pain though no sound came forth.

It lasted only a few seconds but when Raynare's eyes returned to normal size Percy saw the green glowing power of Asia's Sacred Gear rise from her body. He didn't even wait before snatching the rings from air and rushing over quickly to an almost completely spent Will.

He shoved the Rings right into Asia's chest and watched as she took in a gulping breath with her back arching off the ground and her chest rising and falling rapidly. Percy was worried that it was too late anyway but when he saw Asia open her beautiful green eyes and look at him he knew he'd just made it.

He gave her a smirking smile as she struggled to rise to a seated position. Will gently pushed her to the ground from her side as sweat poured down his face.

"I just spent the last fifteen minutes making sure you lived. You aren't moving anywhere for a long, long time. Doctor's orders."

Asia looked at Will clearly understanding his English before looking back at Percy and smiling.

"Percy" she said looking at him with her big eyes.

"Hey Asia. Glad you could join us. I couldn't have you off and dying on me. You did promise me tea sometime after all."

Asia looked back and forth between Percy and Will before she completely disregarded Will's order and leaped up pulling Percy into a giant hug. He felt a few tears roll down her cheeks and into his metal armor.

 _Hey Tiamat_ Percy said to the dragon in his soul. _Can you do something about this armor?_

Tiamat huffed something Percy didn't pick up but she dismissed his suit just the same allowing Percy to hold Asia much more comfortably.

A throat cleared from behind him and when Percy pulled away from Asia he saw the face of Rias looking back and forth between them with some unknown emotion. Will groaned to the side and mumbled something about nobody ever listening to the doctor before he stood up on shaky legs.

Percy pulled him into a big hug himself and helped him stand.

"Thank you Will. You saved her. I couldn't have done it without you." Percy tried to put as much sincerity into those words as possible. Will looked at him with a small smile himself before nodding.

"Well that's touching and all but what do you want to do with these guys?" A dark voice said from behind everyone. Percy recognized it immediately but Rias and the peerage didn't and quickly turned around brandishing weapons at the possible threat.

Leaning against the altar was none other than the son of Hades himself with a tied-up Lolita dressed Fallen Angel, a tied up red garbed Fallen Angel, and the broken and tarnished body of Raynare lying on the ground. The two conscious Fallen Ones were gagged and struggling against whatever bound their legs and arms together but it appeared to be some kind of metal. Percy suspected it was metal chains made from Stygian Iron.

Percy looked at the three Fallen Angels in disgust. The two tied up were arrogant and annoying but it was Raynare that the demigod son of Poseidon really hated. He wasn't through making her suffer.

He stepped up to her ready to pound her a few more times when the most wicked and evil idea he ever had came across his mind. He was going to kill her eventually but he wanted to make the pain she felt as bad as it was for him when he thought she killed his mother. Now that he knew that wasn't true it had lessened somewhat but not nearly enough to make him merciful. He doubted he had the kind of stomach for true torture though.

But he knew someone who did. And he did make a promise to Nico after all.

Switching over to Greek so the peerage wouldn't understand what he was saying he asked his cousin a question.

"Tell me Nico, how would your father feel about a few new members for Punishment?"

The answering grin that appeared on Nico's face was clarity enough for Percy.

"Take all three to your father and tell him it's a gift from you, Will, and I. That should be enough to get me in his good graces for a little while."

Percy didn't know what was going to happen to them but he knew once Alecto and her sisters got started on them Raynare would regret ever stepping foot in Kuoh Town.

Nico began laughing his evil laugh as he grabbed each Fallen Angel by their chains and pulling them into the nearest shadow. Percy heard a gasp from the side where Rias and Akeno stood but he ignored it in favor of turning to look at Will.

The son of Apollo was physically in the second-best condition between the three of them given he only really spent time fighting Freed. He had a few rips and tears in his shirt, his face showed he was tired and his hair was disheveled but other than that he was alright. Nico had gotten the brunt of the fighting and he didn't have Percy's fancy armor.

"Where did he go?" the voice of Issei said from the front. "He just disappeared." Issei's arm still was in the red metal form and Tiamat resonated with it but Percy didn't have the energy to pick a fight right then. Outside the storm was dissipating and the weather was returning to normal. The moon broke through the clouds and shone its light through the big window in the back of the church.

"My cousin took the Fallen Angels. Don't worry, they won't be bothering us again." He thought he heard a sigh of relief from the pervert but his attention was on Rias. She was looking him up and down as if analyzing him in a new light. And if she managed to piece together who Nico was then she probably could guess fairly easily who he was.

Before she could say anything though Nico appeared from the shadows behind Issei and once again scaring the Hades out of everyone. Percy smirked now realizing just why Nico enjoyed doing it. It was certainly funny when people freaked out.

"What the hell man!" Issei said. "Don't jump out of nowhere like that."

Nico smirked at the Japanese student but didn't say anything. Probably because he didn't speak Japanese.

Percy was still holding up Asia when Rias's words from before came back into his mind.

"I have to go" he said suddenly reverting to English. Nico looked at him in bewilderment though Will nodded his head in understanding.

"Nico" he continued, "do you have enough energy to get you and Will to my house? You can crash the night."

Nico nodded but Percy could see he was extremely tired himself. Whatever kind of power these Fallen Angels had here wasn't resonating with Nico well at all.

"Alright, look Asia," he began addressing the girl in his arms. "I have to go to the hospital. My mom is there and I need to see her. It might be good for you to come with me. I brought my motorcycle so you can get on the back."

Asia looked like she was about to say something but she was interrupted by Will clearing his throat.

"Umm… about that Percy… We didn't exactly finish Freed off earlier."

Percy shot Will a look that demanded an explanation immediately.

"Well, after you left to the basement it was just Nico and I" he continued, "and eventually I ran out of arrows to shoot at him. Because of that he managed to actually hit Nico with his last bullet." Nico grimaced slightly as he moved his shoulder up and down as if remembering the pain.

"With only one good arm Nico was somewhat overwhelmed by Freed's attacks" Nico scoffed as if that was a ridiculous notion but he didn't say anything to contradict it either. Will paused in his explanation so Percy asked him trying to get to why his motorcycle was important.

"Eventually, Freed managed to get me in a compromising position and the only way Nico could help was by using the shadows to throw Freed away. Unfortunately, when he did that, Freed sailed into the back of the church and took off outside into the storm."

Now Percy could see where this was headed and groaned in anticipation.

"And what exactly does that have to do with my bike?" he asked.

Will looked at Nico hoping for support but the son of Hades just gave him a flat look and waved his hand forward as if saying "after you".

"Well he found your bike up the path and sort of… hijacked it."

Yup exactly as Percy feared.

"Fuck!" he said bringing his hands up to his hair and pulling on it. Now that asshole was cruising around on his bike, a bike that was a gift from the God of Messengers mind you, and could be doing anything at all. "Now how am I going to get there? Can you shadow travel me?" he asked looking at Nico.

His cousin nodded grimly but Akeno spoke up instead. The black-haired girl had remained quiet up to this point and her melodic voice surprised Percy.

"I'll do it." She said looking at him.

"You'll take me to the hospital?" he asked her skeptically.

The Japanese girl gave him a big smile and nodded her head before stepping up to him. "Of course I'll take you silly. You're still a devil. We'll go by magic circle. And don't worry, I'll show you how to do it yourself soon so you won't have to rely on me anymore either." Her tone was playful though her offer seemed genuine as well so Percy nodded in agreement.

Then he remembered Rias' words from last night about only those in the peerage could go.

"What about Asia? I can't just leave her here after everything." Percy felt even more protective of the girl than before with everything that happened.

"I'll take her somewhere she can stay" the mature voice of Rias said looking at the nun in curiosity. Percy would have thought that a little odd if Rias didn't do that to most people with some kind of power. He figured it was just a quirk she had.

Percy looked over towards Asia who looked at Rias a moment before smiling and nodding as well. He supposed that if Asia felt comfortable enough with the arrangement then he would let her go.

"Ok" he said to both the redhead and blonde-haired girl. Before he could follow it up, Akeno stepped up and wrapped her arm through his free one and pulled him away.

A glowing red circle appeared on the ground that he was slowly growing accustomed too.

"Are you going to be alright Nico? Will?" Percy asked one last time to his friends. Both demigods nodded and shooed him off to go see his mom.

"Alright, I'll see you at the house then" Percy said to them getting one final nod. Will smiled though Nico retained his usual stoic demeanor.

He stepped into the glowing red circle and turned to look at everyone one last time. They were all watching him with various expressions on their face though none looked hostile or upset. Kiba had a small smile on his face while Koneko tried to ignore him but failed when her eyes met his. Issei stood in the back clearly somewhat jealous that Akeno's arm was laced with Percy's though other than that he seemed normal.

Asia was giving him a big smile and waved him goodbye before she moved her lips soundlessly in thanks. Rias watched him go with a soft smile on her face and she too gave a small wave. Percy felt himself loosen up tense muscles at their goodbyes.

Off to the side and separate from the devils were Nico and Will. Both demigods were watching Percy with a mixture of wariness and happiness. Though on Nico the happiness was more a matter of grumpiness if the slight frown was anything to go by. Nico rarely smiled except in cases where his somewhat sadistic nature came through, such as earlier.

Percy waved back at everyone and as he blinked his eyes he was whisked away from the church and headed to his mother.

* * *

Once Percy was gone Rias had turned and stepped back to join closer with her peerage. The aura these two people gave off was not ordinary in any sense and she could feel the godly power rolling off them. It wasn't quite the same as Angels or Fallen Angels but it was certainly very similar making her think they were dangerous to them.

"Who are you?" she questioned cautiously in English knowing that they both spoke that fluently. Both boys turned to look at her and gave her and the others a quick once over.

The blonde-haired kid, Will she heard him named, gave her a small smile before running his hand through his hair. He looked utterly exhausted and anyone could tell he had been in some kind of scuffle.

The black-haired boy, on the other hand, glared at her menacingly while positioning himself slightly in front of Will. Rias remembered Percy calling him Nico.

"We're Percy's family" Will spoke up preventing Nico from saying anything. Not that the kid looked like he wanted to. He looked like he had just gone 10 rounds with King Kong but the power drifting off him made it seem like he had a few more left if need be.

"I thought everyone on his mother's side was dead" Kiba said stepping up next to her. He eyed both boys warily but didn't do anything to provoke them.

"Family on his father's side" Will clarified.

Now if Sally hadn't confirmed that Percy had met his father Rias would have immediately called into question their story. Seeing as she had though she played along hoping to get more information about her mysterious Pawn.

"I thought he didn't know who his father was? There wasn't any name on the birth certificate."

"And how would you know that?" Nico said through clenched teeth. Will reached out forward and gave the boy's arm a gentle squeeze calming him down slightly but Rias saw he was wound tighter than a copper coil.

"He's in my peerage now. I make it my job to know everything I can about my members." She didn't call him a servant. Rias saw how easily Percy had commanded both of his friends so she doubted they would appreciate her calling him that. Not to mention Percy didn't take too kindly to the term either.

Nico scoffed at the idea which only bristled Rias further. They outnumbered the two easily two to one and they were clearly tired but Issei wasn't a very good fighter yet and Rias would have to watch out for Asia too. She needed to talk to the nun when this was done. That didn't even cover what Percy's reaction would be to the peerage getting into a fight with his friends.

"You have no idea who he is do you?" Nico asked condescendingly. The sneer on the boys face was enough to know there was some deep history between Nico and Percy and clearly the younger boy felt strongly for his cousin.

"I haven't had the chance to get to know him well yet" she said ignoring his attitude. "In time I'm sure I'll find out everything I need to." She tried to sound confident and believed she succeeded only to find the boy look at her incredulously.

"You ignorant fool. You have no idea how badly you fucked up." He spoke softly. It was so quiet she didn't think she was meant to hear but her Devil hearing enhanced her senses and she picked it up.

"And what is that supposed to mean?" she questioned him angrily only to receive a blank look back. He continued looking at her for a minute before taking a deep breath and answering her.

"It means," he began "that you have made a huge mistake and don't even know it yet. But it's not my place to tell you. That's for Percy to say. I'd treat him well if I were you." He made that last sentence sound ominous.

Nico took a step backwards and grabbed the arm of Will before looking at her one last time. Will gave her a halfhearted smile before suddenly the shadows had gathered around the two and they disappeared into them.

Rias watched the two disappear and heard Issei grumble something about having cool powers like that and how he'd use it to spy on women everywhere.

If that power was what she suspected it was then there was a good chance she indeed made a mistake. She couldn't be absolutely sure until she talked to Percy though.

After the two boys vanished Rias turned back to look at her peerage. They had come ready for a fight but it seemed this rescue operation wasn't what she expected. Percy had managed to not only handle himself against a whole group of Fallen Angels and their servants but he had other mysterious friends who helped him too. That didn't even bring up the pure power she felt rolling off him while he was pounding Raynare into the building.

"Kiba, why don't you take Koneko and Issei and wait by the door for a minute. There's something I want to talk to the good sister about."

Her Knight looked at her a moment before nodding and gathering the two younger members and making their way to the entrance.

Rias took a deep breath then and looked at Asia. She was a beautiful girl if her appearance was anything to go by with innocent eyes and pouty lips. Her blonde hair was still gorgeous if covered in dirt and debris from laying on the ground. The only thing wrong with her right now was her rag clothes that barely covered her but Rias knew she would be attractive in almost anything she wore. The devil felt a slight rumble inside her when she remembered how she hugged her Pawn.

"Asia, right?" Rias began trying to start out lightly. The nun nodded her head looking at Rias completely at ease. She was probably the only nun in the world who wasn't hesitant around or trying to kill devils. "You've had a long night. I have a place you can stay if you'd like. It's cozy with a bed and shower in the back."

Asia looked at Rias with a big smile.

"Oh, that is so very kind of you. Thank you so much. And thank you for coming to rescue Percy and I."

Rias grimaced internally at that as she really only came for Percy but knew that deep down she would have helped Asia if she found her. That was why she was going to make her this offer.

"Don't mention it. I care very much about my peerage and Percy is a part of that. He seems to care about you a great deal so that extends to you as well."

Asia looked shocked by her words but smiled even larger than before.

"Tell me Asia, what are your plans now? The Fallen Angels are gone from this area for now though, if you don't mind me saying, they didn't really treat you well to begin with."

Asia grew a thoughtful look on her face. She was clearly remembering something and lowered her head in shame before speaking.

"I don't really know" she admitted quietly. "I can't go back to the church and you were right. The Fallen Angels didn't treat me well. They were cruel and rude towards me and tried to kill me."

Rias nodded her head as the nun finished speaking. It was as she expected. Asia's eyes glistened with unshed tears though they looked on the verge of falling.

"I can offer you some place to go." Rias said pulling out a white chess piece. A bishop to be exact. "I can offer you a place in my peerage."

Asia seemed stunned at the offer and completely unsure of what to do. Her mouth gaped slightly but she wasn't saying any words. So, instead, Rias followed up.

"In my peerage, we all treat each other with respect and care. We look after one another. If you accept my offer then you are one of my household and more importantly family to me."

Asia remained quiet for another minute before questioning.

"You said Percy's part of your peerage?" she questioned shyly.

Rias wanted to growl at the girl but simply nodded her head afraid of what might actually come out if she did say something. She didn't know why Asia's attitude toward Percy bothered her but it definitely did.

"I…" Asia said unsurely. She looked like she had a million thoughts racing through her head but then her face seemed to clear of any indecision and she made up her mind. "I accept."

Rias let out a small sigh in relief. She was glad Asia accepted as the girl was powerful in her own right. Plus, her joining the peerage gave Percy more incentive to become a more active member himself.

Rias gave Asia a sincere smile before pulling her along and preparing her for the transformation to a Devil. Another piece to her peerage was now secure. With only a Knight and a Rook still available she thought it only a matter of time before she completed the set. And if Percy continued hanging around she figured it was only a matter of time before they fell right onto her radar.

"Come on, I'll take you to your new home and we'll complete the transformation"

* * *

When Percy saw the outline of the hospital form he grabbed ahold of Akeno's hand and sprinted off through the front door of the building. The sadistic devil didn't say anything instead just letting Percy pull her along though he thought he heard a few soft chuckles escape her mouth.

He looked around wildly at the fairly quiet lobby of the hospital when he found the nurses station directly to his left. There was one woman on duty being the night shift and she was typing away furiously on her computer. Percy ran up to her causing the woman too look up in bewilderment.

"Sally Jackson. Can you tell me where she is?" he said slightly out of breath. He didn't realize how tired he actually was after creating that storm but now that he had had time to calm down he was feeling the full effects of his power. It drained him more than his demigod abilities typically did.

Percy just took that to mean he needed to stretch and grow his Sacred Gear power.

"Jackson… Jackson…hmm" the woman said typing something into her computer. Percy felt his impatience grow with each passing second and he began tapping his foot on the ground to hurry things along. Unfortunately, the woman didn't seem to understand his desire to see his mother and continued taking her sweet time.

"Ahh yes. Jackson-Blofis, Sally, Third Floor. That's th-" before she could even continue though Percy ran past her towards the staircase. He might have normally taken the elevator but his need to see his mom overruled any sort of common sense right then. Luckily, Akeno stayed behind and was saying something to the woman which Percy felt grateful for.

Each step up the stairs seemed an eternity to him so he quickly made the stairs at two at a time. Then when that wasn't enough it became three at a time. Before he knew it, he was ripping open the door to the third floor and sprinting down the hall to the nurses' station in the middle of the hallway. Two nurses were seated at this kiosk and working on something but Percy had bigger worries.

"Sally Jackson, please tell me which room she's in?" he said panting from his climb up.

"And who exactly are you?" asked the nurse on the right. She wore her black hair up in a bun with glasses on her face and the typical teal nurse's scrubs.

"I'm her son. Please can you tell me which room she's in" he practically begged the woman. She had the key to all his worrying so he didn't want to antagonize her as much as he felt like right then.

A look of understanding crossed the nurse on the left's face and took pity on him.

"She's in room 367. Just down that hall and two doors on the left. You can't miss it."

Percy was running down the hall shouting a quick thank you to the nurse while he heard the two nurses arguing about something behind him. He figured the nurse on the left was probably being scolded by the one on the right but he didn't care.

He flew down the hall as fast as he could with his tired state and quickly found himself outside room 367. It had a dark wooden door that appeared stained an even darker shade separating it from the white walls all around the building. He felt his heart pounding furiously and not just with tiredness either. Now that he had made it here he was nervous. He wanted to reach out and grab the door handle and throw it open but he felt himself have second thoughts.

 _What if she isn't here? What is Raynare really did kill her?_ He asked himself worriedly. His heart beat sounded like it was trying to break out of his chest it was so loud and his hands were shaking slightly.

He tried to reach his hand out when he couldn't find it in himself to close his hand down on the handle all the way. He'd heard the nurses. His mom was surely in there but that didn't stop him from being scared all the same. He didn't know what sight awaited him.

When he tried to grip the handle again he couldn't find the strength to make the squeeze. Fortunately, a saving grace came to his rescue right then in the form of a beautiful woman with striking violet eyes. Her eyes were caring and soft, nothing like the cruel and menacing look Raynare had.

"Well, what are you waiting for good-looking" Akeno teased him. The devil moved her hand over his and gently placed her fingers on his helping him close it in a fist and squeezing the handle. She guided his hand and pushed it forward opening up the room.

What Percy first saw brought forth a mixture of emotions. His mother was seated on a bed completely relaxing though she was tied up to a few machines. She seemed at ease and resting. He was both happy she was alright though he didn't like looking at her hooked up to everything.

Slowly, the demigod stepped into the room with Akeno following behind him. He took hesitant steps up to his mother and when he reached her he sat down in the empty chair next to her bed that looked occupied not that long ago. Percy reached out with his free hand and softly grabbed a hold of his mother's.

The action must have jostled Sally as she opened her eyes and looked around the room before seeing her son. Percy felt himself grow emotional at having her so close by that he leaned down and pulled her hand up for a small kiss. He loved his mother so much. Percy could tell he was worrying his mom but didn't say anything at first.

"Percy, honey. Are you ok?" his mother asked concerned. Here she was in a hospital and worrying about how he was. He felt himself let out a small chuckle before nodding his head. He didn't want to say anything right then afraid that he would just start balling his eyes out if he did.

"He's just glad you're ok" Akeno said for him smiling down at him. Percy gave his other hand a squeeze thanking her quietly not realizing they were still holding hands.

"I'm very ok" Sally said looking at Percy. She was smiling broadly. "In fact, I've never been better. Didn't you listen to the voicemail Paul left at home?" she continued with a laugh of her own. Percy could hear some tiredness in her voice but she seemed so jovial that it didn't matter right then.

He was about to say something when he heard the door in the back click open loudly. In stepped his step-father holding a wrap of blankets in his hands and looking down at it with the tenderest care. Percy felt a shock through his body when he realized what exactly Paul was holding.

He suspected that was the case from what Rias had said earlier but seeing and hearing about it are two different things.

Sally looked at her son with glowing radiance before addressing him. "Percy, I'd like you to meet somebody."

Percy looked back and forth between his mom and Paul repeatedly before trying to speak. His throat was dry so he just nodded again.

Paul stepped up then and placed the bundle in Sally's arms to which she cradled it with love and affection Percy had only seen reserved for him. His mom pulled the blankets down slightly revealing a tiny little face with wide open eyes looking at him.

"Percy, this is Estelle, your new baby sister."

Percy was wide-eyed looking at the newborn before him. She had the greyish-blue eyes all new babies are born with and her tiny little nose matched perfectly to her round head. He began reaching forward before he pulled himself back and looked at his mom.

"Can I hold her?" he asked hesitantly.

Sally just smiled at Percy and nodded before showing him the right way to do it.

"Now hold your arms out at an angle. Be sure to support her head and no rocking right now. She's still a bit too young for that." His mother instructed carefully.

Percy took everything she said in and got into the right position. When he was ready Sally reached over and gently placed Estelle in his arms before smiling at her two children.

Percy felt another wave of emotion wash over him. Here he was holding his baby sister after what could have been one of the worst days of his life. He felt a few tears leak out from his face though this time they were tears of joy rather than ones of pain or sadness.

"Hi Estelle" he spoke softly. "I'm Percy, your new brother. And I love you."

Estelle continued looking up at him with her big eyes before a small smile formed on her lips.

Percy looked at her returning the smile feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a long time.

End of Arc Two

 **AN:**

 **So here we are. Another chapter done and the "becoming a devil" arc wrapped up. I hope you found this enjoyable as ended up writing the fight in the basement a few different times and wasn't sure exactly how I wanted it to go. I thought this was good to strike a balance between the devils (aka Percy right now) and the demigods.**

 **I'm sure some of you are upset that Issei didn't get a chance to shine through here and break out some boosted gear action. Without Asia as a crucial part to him advancing his powers (that role went to Percy) I found it to forceful to do something like that. Rest assured you'll see some Issei growth in the Riser arc.**

 **How was the surprise at the end? I know a good amount of you seemed pretty upset about Sally being taken which is how I wanted it portrayed. For those that haven't noticed yet, I'm employing the unreliable narrator literary device to show the differences between everyone. What Percy perceives to be the case is going to be very different than how Rias sees something. Soon, I will be introducing a few other character's perspectives into the story and you'll have to take their words into account.**

 **That's one thing I've tried really hard to work with in this story. The words I've chosen. It's still a work in progress but if you look back you'll be able to identify certain phrases and sentences that can be relayed to the present chapter (i.e. the voicemail blinking message in Percy's home when he's looking for his mom & Asia, the use of mortal and mortality to relate to humans - meaning no longer Percy, etc...). I'm curious as to how many of you managed to pick up on these subtle clues. If you leave a review please let me know. **

**I wanted to end this arc on a somewhat high note and the birth of Estelle gave me the perfect opportunity. Sally had been complaining about her daughter not being born for a couple of chapters now so I used that as a chance to surprise everyone.**

 **And lastly, the Sacred Gear. Yes, it is Zenith Tempest. I've said it was taken from another character - sorry Dulio lovers - but I honestly think this works best with Percy's demigod abilities. The two work in synchronization feeding off of each other. As he grows as a character the way he uses his powers will expand as well.**

 **He maintains a balance breaker similar to Issei and Vali and eventually Saji mainly because of Tiamat. She's a dragon, supposedly the strongest of the Dragon Kings and just slightly under par from Ddraig and Albion if canon is correct, so it made sense to give him a similar balance breaker. I wasn't sure if I wanted to use her nickname Chaos Karma Dragon as the calling card of his balance breaker but decided that I liked the sound of it at the end of the day. Stressful and extreme emotions cause breakthroughs in Sacred Gears in canon and Percy potentially losing his new friend Asia but more importantly his mother certainly would make him volatile so it was the perfect idea to unleash right now. He'll figure more out about it in coming chapters.**

 **As always guys, thank you very much for reading. I appreciate all feedback, whether you are a DxD or PJO purist or somebody who's middle of the road, it doesn't matter. I thank you all. Please continue leaving reviews if you have some spare time and want to let me know how I'm doing.**

 **Again, I have a poll on my page that I'd really appreciate you all taking a quick minute to go vote it. It really won't take long at all and I'm hoping to get a bigger sample size before I close the poll next week.**

 **Thanks again and I look forward to hearing from you,**

 **Stormwreckin**


	17. Interlude 1: Promises

**AN - The poll is now closed and I thank everyone who went and voted. The winner is... drum roll please... The Gods of Aincrad! I am very pleased with this so thank you to everyone.**

Interlude 1: Promises

Sally Jackson-Blofis, a new mother once again, sat tucked in the hospital bed she was assigned to by her doctors. A small smile graced her mouth at the thought of her two beautiful children getting along together. She made Paul take pictures of Percy holding her little Estelle last night and she promised herself that she was going to get them professional printed out once she was back home and was fully healed.

It was a difficult birth, almost as bad as the birth of Percy was, and her daughter was no demigod. The doctors had relayed to Paul that there were a few iffy moments in there when they weren't sure she was going to pull through as well as she did. Fortunately, she did but she was definitely done having kids. Two was more than enough for her.

The nurses had just come and checked on her a few minutes ago telling her that it was almost feeding time for Estelle. Sally found herself looking forward to holding her daughter once more.

Outside, the sun was shining and she had asked the nurses to open the wide a tiny crack so she could get some fresh air. The elderly nurse who made the rounds looked offended and flabbergasted she would even make such a suggestion but once she left the room to the younger nurse with her gave a sympathetic smile before she opened it just a crack.

"Just until we can bring back little Estelle" the younger nurse whispered conspiratorially with Sally. The mother gave the nurse her most heartfelt thanks replying "arigatou gozaimasu" in her native tongue. Initially, the nurse was shocked by Sally's Japanese as she had only ever spoken English in the hospital leaving the Japanese to Paul or Percy, but she quickly overcame it giving Sally a small bow and leaving with a smile forming on her face.

Sally sat looking outside as the clouds drifted across the sky feeling genuinely happy. She wasn't sure how this move was going to work out at first but now that her daughter had finally been born Sally couldn't be happier. And the look on Percy's face last night seemed to show he was of a similar mindset right then.

Thinking on her son, Sally couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened to him last night. He had shown up panting and breathing heavily with marks of sweat covering his clothes and forehead. Her son didn't look hurt or damaged anywhere and his clothes seemed completely intact but Sally knew something had happened. Percy looked on the verge of tears and she knew he must have experienced something bad to bring him to the brink like that.

As Sally was musing away to thoughts of her first born the sound of her hospital door opened and in stepped the younger nurse with tiny Estelle snuggled in her blanket. Estelle was letting out little cries and whines as she fussed about in the nurse's arms. The American woman easily found herself stretching her arms as far as she could so she could hold her newborn baby all the quicker.

"Here you are Ms. Sally." The nurse said in fairly good English. "Baby Estelle's been whining for her mother these last few minutes." She was smiling down at Sally and Estelle once she placed the baby in her mother's arms.

"Thank you, Sana," Sally said to her but looked only at her baby. When Estelle was placed in Sally's arms she immediately stopped fussing about and settled into the comfortable embrace of her mother. Her big grey-blue eyes looked deep into Sally's sapphire blue ones and just when Sally thought her baby might give her a smile she instead let out a soft cry that instinctively Sally knew meant she was hungry.

The door to her room clicked quietly closed without Sally even noticing Sana taking her leave.

"Shh now my sweet girl" Sally said in her most soothing voice. "It's alright. Momma's here for you." She slowly lowered the side of her hospital gown and brought her daughter to her breast where she immediately latched on. She began talking in a quiet voice letting her daughter get used to the sound of her speech.

"Oh, my beautiful baby" she began, "I'm so glad you could finally come and join us in the world. We've all been so eager to meet you." Estelle made no sign she heard her mother instead choosing to drink her fill of milk. "It's been a long nine months, hasn't it? So much has happened for everyone." Sally voice trailed off at that going deep in thought.

Nine months ago was July and she had just received word, officially that was, from camp that they found her son. She remembered how relieved and terrified she was when she heard from her son at the end of June that he was alright and calling from Alaska of all places. And he was on yet another quest for the gods which only made it worse. Percy hadn't ever really gone into the details of what happened in the months between when he called and when she picked him up from camp but he did talk about another war and Romans and new monsters and visiting Italy and Greece. She knew he tried hard to downplay what happened but she saw the toll it took on him. He was practically a skeleton when she picked him up for gods sake.

It wasn't actually that long into the school year when Sally found out she was pregnant. If there was one thing that surprised her more than getting her son back it was his reaction when he found out he was going to be an older brother. She thought he might be a little standoffish and hesitant about going from an only child to suddenly being an older brother but instead he hugged both her and Paul, gave her a big kiss on the cheek and wouldn't stop talking about how happy he was. Both at the prospect of being an older brother and also specifically for herself and Paul themselves.

Her boy was truly one of a kind.

Things went relatively back to normal for the first few months of the school year with Percy trying to make up his missing schoolwork, Paul working hard at school to be a good teacher and of course herself finally managing to land a good publisher for her book. Everything was starting to work out great for Sally and she was finally getting everything she always wanted. A happy, healthy family – well mostly healthy as Percy was still recovering from the war – a good home where she was safe and protected, a loving husband and son who she cared about incredibly, financial success was finally happening, and a small bundle of joy growing inside her waiting to joy their beautiful family.

Yes, everything was going great for Sally. Until it wasn't. First, Annabeth surprised everyone by breaking up with her son. Sally always loved Annabeth like she was her own daughter. Always so level-headed, calm and reasonable. She could count on the daughter of Athena to be there for her son to take care of him and watch his back when she couldn't be. To say Sally was shocked by the sudden breakup didn't actually do it justice as it seemingly came out of left field. She spent plenty of nights after that trying to comfort her son who could only be described as devastated. It always hurt watching Percy go through something painful and there was nothing Sally could do in this instance to ease her son's suffering.

Then, just when she thought things might finally start to get some small sense of semblance again, Percy comes homes telling her that he's suddenly going to get married. The breakup with Annabeth was definitely shocking but when she heard that Percy was supposed to marry, Marry!, somebody that was the last straw. She didn't care if Aphrodite promised her son a harem with a hundred woman all who were completely devoted to him she wouldn't let Percy just give in to the decision like he was a prize to be sold off. No, Sally would make sure her son knew that it didn't matter what any god or goddess said he could make he own destiny with whomever he wanted to be with.

Ever since that day she had made sure to drop subtle little hints to him that he should start dating again and find a good woman for himself. She made sure that Paul was of a similar mindset and helped her relay that.

That was one of the reasons why she didn't completely blow up at Percy for spending the night with that redhead Rias Gremory. Sure, she got a bit upset at first and gave him a stern talking to – _Ok maybe a lot upset_ \- but any mother who threatens their son with no cookies as a punishment clearly wasn't trying hard enough. She chuckled to herself later at Percy's reaction too. By the look in his face she knew he hadn't actually _slept_ with the girl but it never hurt to make sure he was smart about it if he did later on. She knew the time was coming that he would eventually sleep with someone.

Estelle made a small fuss that brought Sally out of her revere momentarily when she noticed her right breast was all dried up. Her daughter was still hungry though so Sally shifted her over to the other and gave a small cooing sound when her baby suckled from her once more.

Sally's mind drifted into thoughts of the mysterious Rias as her child nursed from her.

The redhead was undoubtedly a beautiful woman with plenty of fine assets going for her. Hades, if Sally was twenty years younger she might have even been jealous of the girl. She seemed extremely intelligent as well and had a good group of friends.

After she caught her and her son in bed together she had asked Paul to dig up every piece of information he could get.

It seemed Sally's initial assessment was right concerning her as what Paul told her that night didn't surprise her in the least. She was a bright young woman at the top of her classes at Kuoh Academy with plenty of friends. She ran her own club, the Occult Research Club Paul said it was called, and was a fiercely independent woman who could go her own way. Paul had heard rumors that she was very strong and could hold up in a fight though nobody ever seemed to know how that rumor got started. All in all, she was exactly the kind of woman that she hoped Percy would end up with.

Yet, in spite of all that, there was still something off about Rias. Nothing bad as far as she could tell but there was something else she was missing.

Every time Sally thought about her few encounters with the girl she remembered some kind of red light before Sally's mind experienced a slight form of pain. Nothing extreme, maybe on the level of a minor headache, but it was like her brain was fighting against itself. She thought back to her younger days when she was with Poseidon and he had manipulated the Mist slightly to get someone to hurry up and bring them food on their date or convince a homeless man to get a job rather than beg for money. Sally's mind had a similar feeling then as the Mist tried to trick her into believing what he said was true.

Because the sensations were so similar, this actually scared Sally at first leading her to believe Rias was some kind of goddess. That didn't make sense though as she didn't feel any kind of divine presence that she learned and identified with Poseidon. When that proved false she thought she might be some kind of monster but that didn't seem right either. Neither situation felt right which left Sally completely unsure about her. One thing that was for certain though was Sally could tell the woman didn't want to hurt her. There had been too many opportunities for her to attack and Sally was in her most vulnerable state being pregnant with Estelle.

Sally smiled down to her daughter who was just finished the final drops of milk now when a sudden knock came on the door. Paul wasn't expected to join her for a few more hours and Percy was at the house doing something for Poseidon so she didn't think it was him either. The nurses usually just opened up the door and came in regardless of whether she was breastfeeding or not so it was doubtful it was them either. A small frown formed on her face but she acknowledged the knocker anyway.

"Come in" her voice said steadily. It was still somewhat quiet for her daughter's sake but Sally shrugged her gown back on now that Estelle was done feeding and began burping her.

The door swung open softly and Sally could make out the form of the woman she had just been thinking about: Rias Gremory.

"Well speak of the devil," Sally said looking at the redhead.

Rias immediately stopped in her tracks looking at Sally surprised. The mother had no idea why but it was definitely odd.

A few seconds later Rias regained her sure-footing and walked up to Sally's bed before looking at her and taking a seat in the vacant chair next to the bed. The young woman looked like she had something to say but after a few moments of clearly struggling to form words she instead settled back and looked at Sally and Estelle with a small smile.

"Akeno said she was beautiful. I hope you don't mind that I visited," Rias said at last. The redhead was looking at Estelle with such tender eyes that Sally couldn't help herself.

"Would you like to hold her?" she asked back.

The question caught the woman off guard and Sally saw her eyes bulge momentarily causing Sally to let out a small laugh.

"I… can hold her?" she asked unsurely. Here sat a strong woman who Sally could tell was powerful and confident and she was reduced to a shy, hesitant girl by a simple child. Oh, the power of babes.

Sally nodded her head before giving her similar instructions to the ones she gave Percy last night.

Rias adopted the position much more easily and quickly than her son had which Sally could tell meant she had held babies before. Sally gently placed the swathed form of Estelle in the outstretched arms of Rias and settled back to watch the two look at each other in curiosity.

Estelle looked up at the redhead giving a mighty yawn before seemingly burrowing down into her blanket more snuggly. Rias looked down at the baby with gently eyes, her own blue ones as serene as a crystal-clear lake. She made a few soft soothing sounds with her voice as Estelle slowly drifted off to sleep. Sally watched the interaction with a small smile of her own.

"How are you doing Rias dear?" she asked when it became clear Estelle had finally fallen asleep.

"I'm doing alright Sally." She said back quietly. Sally waited for her to elaborate but nothing else seemed forthcoming.

"Is everything ok hun? I didn't expect you to stop by the hospital."

Rias seemed lost in her own little world as Sally's words washed over her. She was still looking down at Estelle and seemed as gentle as ever.

"Rias?" Sally tried prompting her. "Honey? Is everything ok?" The mother could tell the young woman had something on her mind that she wanted to discuss and she would try and coax it out of her. Maybe it had to do with Percy.

"Huh?" Rias said after a moment. She looked up at Sally with a confused look before giving a shy smile. "Oh, I'm sorry Sally. I'm alright. Just had a lot on my mind. Holding Estelle seemed to help me clear my head for a minute." The redhead seemed somewhat abashed by this but Sally didn't draw attention to it.

"It's ok dear. I was just lost in thought myself holding her before you came along." Sally chuckled softly realizing how true that was. First Percy seemed in such deep thought holding her last night, then Sally herself fell for her daughter's machinations, and now Rias seemed to be searching for revelations. Maybe her daughter really _did_ cause everyone to go deep in thought.

Rias smiled again before she drew a deep breath. Sally could tell that what she was about to say was important.

"So, when did Percy tell you?" she asked quietly. She looked very unsure of herself when asking that which seemed out of character from what Sally had known about her. This entire interaction seemed a bit out of character honestly but then again she didn't know Rias all that well so maybe it wasn't.

The brown-haired woman looked at the redhead questionably for a minute not understanding what she was being asked.

"What do you mean dear?"

Rias eyed her skeptically for a moment before answering.

"I'm a devil. You just called me that yourself even. I thought Percy told you based on your reaction."

Sally's mind went blank with the news. Outwardly, she did her best not to show any kind of reaction. She's met gods and cyclops and hellhounds. A Devil really wasn't that far out of the ordinary. Inwardly, she was hesitant and unsure how to proceed.

This woman, a self-admitted devil, was seated down in her hospital room holding her only daughter looking at her. Ever since Percy had mentioned that he would be meeting and maybe marrying someone from the Christian pantheon Sally had done everything she could in terms of research.

She looked up all the stories concerning Angels and Devils in the bible and tried to make sense of what her son was getting into. All the information she found left a bad taste in her mouth; almost as bad as some of the Greek stories she read.

Thoughts of the tale of Adam and Eve came to mind with the Devil, Lucifer, tempting both Adam and Eve before successfully seducing Eve and convincing her into tricking Adam. The idea of Sodom and Gomorrah being so reprehensible with corruption from demons that they were destroyed with fire and brimstone as divine justice from God. And of course, the flooding of the world from God to wipe out the horrible nature of man after falling into perpetual sin.

Then there were the stories of angels and how they helped mankind. The Archangel Metatron assisting Moses and the Israelites across Egypt to freedom from tyranny. Gabriel being set to Mary informing her that she was going to give birth to Jesus, the savior of all, and guiding her to safety when the time came to give birth.

In all the tales, Angels were seen as the saving grace of everyone swooping in to destroy evil and bring about peace. They were heavenly beings sent to save humans from themselves and the corruption of the world.

On the other hand, demons, or the Devil himself in some cases, tempted and convinced mankind to commit sin only to pay the price later down the line. They were constantly whispering into man's ear convincing them that it was alright to give into vice. What was the harm of a little indulgence every once and a while? Demons were seen as the bane of man sent only to undermine and ravage.

This woman in front of her claimed to be just the same sort of being.

And yet, Sally couldn't help but think this was a mischaracterization somehow. Rias had never been overly hostile to Sally or her family. In fact, she had been nothing but polite and courtesy in all their time together. Even now, she was holding Estelle with the most delicate care. If this girl meant to corrupt Sally she was either very patient and careful or she just didn't mean any harm.

"I see" was all Sally could say when she gathered her thoughts.

Rias gave her a sad smile at that.

"I guess you didn't know then?" she asked the older woman. Sally shook her head in the negative.

Rias being a devil certainly explained the odd feelings Sally felt around her. From the odd shiver she occasionally got when meeting the woman's eyes to the slight headache she got when she assumed Rias was manipulating the Mist.

"You don't seem to be taking this very badly" Rias continued when she noticed Sally wasn't going to say anything.

"You seem like a nice woman from our short encounters together" Sally said trying to put the woman at ease. That seemed backward as it should have been Rias trying to make Sally feel better about her being a devil but she was never one to hold their nature against someone. Not even Gabe and she absolutely loathed him. It wasn't people's fault how they were born but the decisions they made in life mattered.

Rias gave Sally another smile though self-deprecating this time.

"Thank you Sally. That means a lot. Most people assume that devils are all about collecting souls and corrupting everyone and leading humans astray."

Sally felt a hint of guilt well up in her but left the emotion buried deep inside her. She _had_ thought the same thing initially because that is what the stories told her.

"I'm guessing it isn't like that then?" she asked hoping for more information.

Rias shook her head no.

"A long time ago devils were like that and there are some occasional ones out in the world like that now but for the most part we devils are a bit more reserved. We still go around making contracts with humans who want to make agreements but nothing excessive. We don't want to claim their souls or anything. There are much better ways to make deals."

Sally nodded taking that in. Rias seemed young and headstrong but not menacing. Her words seemed genuine and Sally couldn't find any deceit in her.

Neither seemed to want to say anything after that both content to just let the moment linger. Sally sat watching Rias hold Estelle while Rias continued looking at the newborn happily. Estelle made the occasional burble but otherwise only soft breathing escaped the infant's sleeping mouth.

Finally, Sally saw fit to end the silence.

"So, are you the one Percy was sent for then?" she asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her. Her son hadn't really talked much about his supposed betrothal and Sally wasn't eager to spur on those conversations but she'd be lying if she said she didn't care at all. Sally wanted her son to choose his own partner but if this was going to happen, like it seemed to be happening, she was damn sure she'd get a say in the matter.

Rias looked confused at Sally shifting Estelle in her arms to a more comfortable position.

"Sent for?"

"Yes, Percy told me he was sent to find someone." Sally grew hesitant around Rias then noticing the confusion on the woman. Her son explained that nobody from the Greek world even knew except for the gods and his immediate friends. She didn't think the Christians were supposed to know either so Rias' confusion led Sally to think she'd just made a mistake.

"Find someone?" the redhead asked quietly. "Do you know who? I might be able to help him now that he's one of us."

"One of…" Sally's voice trailed off at that implication. She felt the blood drain from her face.

Rias nodded in confirmation looking neither happy nor sad. Just resolved.

"But…how?" the mother continued shocked. Her son, her firstborn baby was a devil somehow.

Rias grimaced slightly. "I don't think that Percy-"

"My son" Sally cut her off feeling completely caught off guard, "has a habit of not telling me what he thinks I can't handle. But I am completely capable of deciding what I can and can't handle myself. So, tell me. What. Happened?" her voice started off slow but by the end Sally was forceful in her conviction. She meant what she said. Some of the things her son had gone through in his life had been terrible. He's fought in wars for godssake! But Sally always felt better when she knew the details then when she didn't.

The two women looked at each other for a minute in a stalemate. Rias seemed unsure and hesitant while Sally looked determine.

"You remind me a bit of my own mother" the redhead said breaking their deadlock.

Normally, this might have seemed like a compliment to Sally. Any woman who raised such a confident and resourceful woman such as Rias was clearly a good one but right now the brown-haired woman only wanted answers.

"Rias" she said. "Please tell me what happened."

The redhead finally relented and began speaking.

"It happened about a week ago now. Maybe a little later but not that long ago. From what I gathered Percy was jogging through the park when he came across another kid from school on a date. His name is Issei, which judging by your reaction you've heard before." Sally jerked back slightly. She had indeed heard the name and remembered that Percy said he was a pervert who was constantly trying to peep on girls.

"Is he really a pervert?" she asked hoping for a woman's perspective on the both. Both Paul and Percy said he was and if the boy's behavior was exactly as they had told her then it certainly made it seem he was. Woman were typically harsher on this kind of behavior as a general rule and it was always possible that her son and husband had downplayed it a bit.

Rias nodded in confirmation. "Issei's… well let's just say that he is a bit eager when it comes to the opposite sex."

So, it seemed Percy was right. She'd have to keep an eye out for this Issei.

The young woman continued. "Anyway, Issei was on a date with his girlfriend at the time when she turned into a Fallen Angel, those are Angels who've committed sins and fallen to Earth and tried to kill him. Percy intervened, fought off the Angel but he unfortunately was stabbed while doing so. He died there in the park."

Sally felt sick at the thought of her only boy dying on the ground. She could picture it now: Percy lying on the hard concrete, blood pooling all around him while he struggled to breath. It was unfortunately a worry Sally has always had knowing who he was. And to find out it actually happened…

"Just breath Sally" the voice of Rias said next to her. "It's ok. Percy's alive now and back here. He didn't leave you. He's still here." Sally hadn't realized that her breathing had grown ragged at first but a few of the monitors she was hooked up to showed her heartrate had spiked briefly.

Fortunately, none of the nurses came to check on her.

"He didn't have any nectar or ambrosia on him? What about water? Was he near any water?" she asked in rapid succession. She was getting worked up and immediately reached forward to grab Estelle from Rias. The devil didn't even hesitate to hand her back and Sally felt herself calm slightly with her baby in her arms.

"Ambrosia? Nectar? What are those?" Rias questioned. "He was near a fountain but he didn't summon any water or anything. Does this have to do with his father?" she asked suddenly.

In a moment of panic Sally might have spilled the beans about Percy and Poseidon but with her holding Estelle she knew she couldn't get worked up or else risk hurting her baby. This forced Sally to remain calm and helped clear her head. Maybe she should have named her Serena instead.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to find the right words. "Percy's always liked the water, as we discussed when you came over for dinner the other day. As for his father, well he was lost at sea like I said." She let her words linger and didn't elaborate further. Unfortunately, it seemed like Rias wasn't going to let what she said go.

"What about ambrosia and nectar then? What are those?" The curiosity in the devil's eyes were hard to resist but Sally focused on her daughter instead.

"Just some food and drink he likes" she said knowing it sounded stupid. Unfortunately, she didn't have another explanation without telling the truth.

"Food and drink? That can heal him from a spear wound?" she asked skeptically. Sally didn't say anything to that.

Rias waited a minute for Sally to answer her but Sally wasn't going to budge on this. In fact, she refused to even look at the devil worried that she might try and manipulate the Mist on her to get answers.

Finally, Rias sat back in her chair slumped over. Sally shot a careful look over but the devil seemed more exhausted than angry at her lack of answers.

"I just want to understand Sally." She said at last. "I can help him if I only understood what was happening. I have a responsibility to look after him now."

"What does that mean?" the worried mother asked.

Rias' mouth pursed into a thin smile before blowing out a big sigh. "I resurrected him. When he died saving Issei I knew he was a good man and I felt bad his life was cut short. He is clearly a fighter and powerful and good-looking" – Sally raised an eyebrow at that – "and I knew he would be able to help me and live a long, happy life this way."

Sally nodded. That was all she ever wanted for her boy. To live a long life filled with happiness and good times. So far, he wasn't having the same luck as his namesake.

Rias let out another sigh then. This was exasperated. "But he's just so stubborn." Sally tried to stifle a small laugh. "I haven't had a chance to really explain anything to him yet and every time I talk to him it seems he's hiding something. I'm not opposed to secrets but I just want to help him. He needs to know more about this world he's in now because it can be dangerous if he isn't careful." She ended giving a pleading look to the mother who turned to look at her.

Sally saw nothing but genuine conviction in Rias' eyes and heard nothing but the earnest desire to help her son in her voice. She saw that Percy not telling Rias his demigod heritage was giving the girl a difficult time and was tempted to tell her herself. But she couldn't do that to Percy. She might be his mother but the secret was his.

"I'm sorry Rias" she said after the redhead finished talking. She gave the devil a slightly pitying look hoping to relay her condolences. "You're right that there is something more to Percy" she conceded, "but I can't tell you. Or rather I won't tell you. It's my son's decision and I won't betray his trust like that" she added passionately.

Rias looked shocked for a moment but recovered quickly looking slightly ashamed.

"No, I'm sorry Sally" she said. "I didn't mean to make you think I came here to find out your son's secrets. I'll admit that I was hoping to find something out but I didn't come to pry the information from you."

The devil looked completely honest about that. Sally knew she was a good woman.

"I can" Sally began saying "talk to him about it. My guess is that he just doesn't know you that well yet. I'll try and get him to spend some more time with you and your friends so hopefully he'll feel more comfortable eventually. Besides I've been trying to get him to meet more people anyway" she added at the end sounding like a worried mother.

Rias gave a small smile to Sally then. "Percy might have mentioned something about that before" she chuckled softly. "I really didn't mean for all that to come out. I honestly was just hoping to meet baby Estelle."

Sally gave the devil woman a smile saying she believed her. She had no doubt that the woman could be vicious if she wanted to but Sally saw no hint of that side of her right now.

As if that was a sign from the gods, the younger nurse came back in the room then looking at Sally and Estelle.

"It's time to bring the baby back to the nursey now Ms. Sally" she said quietly noticing the baby had fallen asleep. Sally felt a small pang go through her heart at her baby's departure but knew it was only a short walk down the hall when she wanted to see her. Handing her over gently, Sally watched as her daughter was carried away and out of the room.

"And I think that's my que to leave as well" Rias said standing up. "I still have to head over Issei's house."

Sally frowned at the woman in concern.

"Issei? As in the same pervert from earlier Issei?" she asked.

Rias gave a stiff nod.

"Why do you need to see him?"

Rias gave a small sigh at the question but answered anyway. "Issei is also a devil. He's a part of my peerage as it is called, the same as Percy. We got a new member as well yesterday and she needs a place to stay. Issei volunteered so I was on my way over to ask his parents if it was a problem when I stopped in to say hello."

"So, you have a new girl devil and you are going to put her in the same house as a known pervert?" Sally asked tightly. Maybe her initial assessment of Rias was slightly off.

The devil grimaced but nodded all the same. "Unfortunately, I didn't have room for anywhere else. She stayed at our clubhouse last night but I want her to really get out and make friends. I hoped putting her with a family would help with that. She's lived a bit of a sheltered life actually and seemed eager to meet people herself."

Sally thought about that for a minute. This Issei boy was a pervert and would undoubtedly try and peek on her. If she was as innocent and naïve as Rias seemed to imply that might only make matters worse. She couldn't in good conscious let this girl stay with him.

"She can stay with us." Sally said at last.

Rias looked pained by that for some reason. "No, Sally I couldn't ask that of you. You have a new baby and everything and now you know Percy's a devil. It's a lot to take in. I know Asia wouldn't want to impose and I couldn't do that to you and Paul." Rias seemed to be trying really hard to not have this girl stay with them.

"Then it's a good thing you aren't asking now isn't it?" Sally said in resolve. She didn't know why Rias didn't want Asia to stay with them.

 _Maybe she's jealous of her spending time with Percy_? She thought to herself. Percy had mentioned the other day meeting a new friend whose name began with an A. Maybe this was the same girl. Sally always had a gut feeling regarding the girls in her son's life. That was why she knew easily about Annabeth's and Rachel's jealousy of each other while Percy remained completely oblivious.

"Sally, I cou-" she tried to say only to be cut off again.

"No, I won't have it. We have plenty of room at our house and she won't have to watch over her shoulder constantly about a boy trying to seek peeks at her."

"Issei can be respectf-" she tried to interject but Sally just rolled over it.

"I won't change my mind on this Rias. You bring Asia to our house later today and I'll make sure both Percy and Paul know. And don't go trying to use the Mist on me to change my mind either. It doesn't work on me." She added at the end to show she was serious. As Sally got older the Mist had a greater effect on her than her younger days but when she was determined she could see through it just as well as when she was 19.

The redhead looked at her completely shocked by Sally's outburst.

"The Mist?" she questioned quietly.

Sally nodded informing the devil her mind was made up. "Yes. I know you tried manipulating me before with the Mist and partially succeed but not this time. I can see through the Mist so don't waste your efforts. I'd also appreciate you not trying to change my mind of things in the future. I can take care of myself and handle any situation thrown at me. I don't remember exactly what you did but I remember you promising to look after my son and that's good enough for me."

She spoke with a hint of fire in her tone relaying the severity of her statement. And she meant every word of it. Sally could take care of herself and she would. It was her job to take care of her family; nobody else's despite what Percy sometimes thought.

"Sally" Rias said her mouth agape, "I'm… sorry." She sounded completely shocked by the rant from Sally.

Sally reached forward and ran a gentle hand up Rias' arm. It was meant to be soothing and comforting.

"I know dear. I know. Just, don't it again. Percy would not like it if he found out that you tried manipulating me with the Mist." She grimaced at how overprotective her son could be at times and Rias seemed to realize her mistake as well because she had a similar look on her face.

Rias nodded after a minute of thought. Sally sat back and got comfortable in her hospital bed.

"Now, you head along and bring Asia to my house alright? I'll give Paul a call and let him know what's happening."

The redhead looked at Sally before a small smile graced her face and she started to make her way to the door. Sally started searching the contacts of her phone to dial Paul when Rias' voice drifted from the hospital door.

"Percy was right about you Sally. You really are the most amazing woman in the world."

Sally felt her face heat up at the compliment but Rias had turned the knob and left.

She went to the home screen of her phone and looked closely at the picture of Percy holding his beautiful sister last night. A few tears welled up in her eyes at the happy image.

"That's where you're wrong Rias" she said aloud to herself. "I'm the lucky one. I have the most amazing son in the world."

* * *

Percy Jackson stood alone in his trophy room looking at all his treasures and trying to decide which he should sacrifice to his dad. He had paced back and forth numerous times deep in thought trying to find just the right one.

The problem he had was simple: all his spoils had too much significance to him or not enough.

The words of his father rang out in his head as he tried to find the right sacrifice.

 _It will have to be a big sacrifice though my son. You are not mortal so I am capable of helping but something of this magnitude requires a personal sacrifice._

Something personal.

Those two words made his decision both infinitely easier and infinitely harder at the same time.

When he first entered he thought he'd just sacrifice the pelts of the Hellhounds he won the other night when blowing off steam from discovering he had died. There were a few distinct marks on the pelts, some reds and greys from the alpha his first faced and some blonde surprisingly from a second one he hunted down, but somehow that didn't seem like enough. Most of the other monsters didn't drop any spoils as was typical of the ordinary kind so his options were very limited.

Without being able to choose the pelts that meant he had four, well five really, other options he could choose from: The Hydra head, the Fallen Angel feather, the two Chimera horns, or the Minotaur horn. Each held significance in their own right and each seemed impossible to part with.

The Fallen Angel feather didn't feel like a good choice for multiple reasons. Chiefly among them was the fact that it wasn't from the Greco-Roman pantheon.

 _Would my dad even accept a monster spoil from the Christians_? He wondered to himself. It seemed like such a minor detail but he could easily see his dad becoming offended over something like that. Not to mention that of every treasure he had he was the least connected to this one. The Fallen Angel might have been his first kill in this new pantheon but it didn't hold the same significance as the others did for him.

In some ways that made it as an ideal sacrifice as it would signify the first of his new life as a devil and he wouldn't feel bad about parting with it too much. It could possibly be used by his dad to show prestige as a special foreign sacrifice.

In other ways he would feel bad about making a sacrifice to his dad that didn't have the right level of respect it deserved.

Sadly, he ruled the Fallen Angel Feather out of contention.

The Hydra head was the newest treasure and he had fought hard with Rias to earn it. The Hydra was no small monster to defeat either. Heracles was the only demigod to defeat the legendary foe and even that was on his second attempt. He failed the first time when he cut the heads off and they suddenly grew back with twice as many. He ended requiring the help of his cousin Iolaus to scorch the neck stumps as he cut them to ensure the beast died. And the burning of the necks was actually Iolaus' idea after Athena sent a vision to her demigod son.

Percy looked at the plaque below the head and saw the picture of him and a flying Rias behind him. Riptide had just decapitated a head and Rias was launching her odd blackish, reddish, purplish power at the neck. It brought a small smile to his face.

As far as sacrifices could go this was an acceptable choice. It was certainly personal enough to fit that requirement and it was from a legendary monster so it was easily a big sacrifice.

The problem that Percy felt with this one was that he didn't earn it by himself.

Sure, he had done a lot of the heavy lifting by cutting off the heads and saving Rias at the end but if she wasn't around to help him scorch the necks he'd be shit outta luck. Not that Tyche blessed him anyway.

Somehow, making the head a sacrifice without Rias' two cents didn't feel right. She had certainly earned her say in how this treasure was used. He suspected that because he asked his father for help to save Asia she might be alright with it as she claimed to have a soft spot for her. She did seem very regretful about leaving her behind the other day with Freed. The problem with that was he couldn't really get confirmation that it was alright without revealing his father's presence. The council had been clear that nobody who didn't already know about demigods, and more specifically him, was to know. That extended to Rias.

Though based on everything Percy had discovered about the girl it was probably only a matter of time until she figured it out. Especially after Nico and Will last night. Her gasping as they spoke Greek seemed too odd and her seeing Nico use shadow travel was a major clue. He could only hope she didn't put the pieces together yet.

So, without Rias' consent to making it a sacrifice he ruled out the Hydra head as well.

That left the horns. Both the Chimera ones and the Minotaur one.

The Chimera horns were separate, each showing a different picture on the split plaque below. The left horn represented his first encounter with the legendary monster and his subsequent defeat. Though it did get him to trust in his powers as a son of Poseidon so the first was an important stepping stone for him in the mythological world. The right horn represented his most recent faceoff with the beast; where he steadily wore it down until he could land the final strike through it's neck. It was the first monster he faced in Japan and he had somehow attracted it all the way here.

Each horn was curved wickedly with the base a large round circle about the size of a softball that extended backwards about a foot. As the horns reached their tips they grew steadily tighter and smaller until only sharp, razor thin points that could pierce even the smallest of holes were left. Percy had been fortunate to not get rammed or stabbed with those horns as they felt harder than times and seemed deadly than the fire the Chimera blew. He knew instinctively that these horns could easily rip a man part if the monster managed to get them into their opponent.

His father would be pleased with either sacrifice but Percy didn't feel comfortable sacrificing the first horn. The horn that showed him losing to the monster. It wasn't exactly shameful to lose to such a legendary opponent, many demigods had come across the beast and didn't make it out alive after all, but to make an offering to his father of his defeat didn't seem appropriate. The one showing his victory would be acceptable but somehow didn't feel right to sacrifice either. It was a feeling inside that rebelled against him choosing it.

So, he moved on. Which brought him up to the final treasure in his collection. And perhaps one of the most important possessions he owned. The Minotaur horn.

Just looking at the jagged, black horn brought back the horrible memories of that night when he first made his way to half-blood hill. Heavy rain beating down on him and the trees, Grover unconscious on the ground mumbling about enchiladas, and worst of all the first supposed death of his mother. After last night that thought brought an especially bitter taste to his mouth. Looking at the plaque he could make out tiny flecks of dust that he knew represented the disappearance of his mother.

Fortunately, everything worked out and he managed to recover her but for a brief moment in his short life this horn represented every Earthly possession Percy owned.

His clothes had been torn up and shredded by his constant dodging of the monster. He didn't own Riptide yet, that wouldn't become his until later. He didn't even have a family or home that he could go to. Of course, Camp Half-Blood would grow to be his home but when he woke up from his fight he hadn't been claimed and his mother was dead. And there was no way in Hades he was going back to Smelly Gabe.

No, at that particular moment in time the only thing that Percy could say was his was the Minotaur horn. The very same treasure he was staring at right now. Of every spoil he had this one held the most significance. And it always would.

If his father wanted a personal sacrifice then this was the treasure to use for it.

Slowly, Percy's hand reached forward to grab the horn. It felt rough and broken at the end where he managed to snap it off the monster's head. His fingers curled around the ridged center feeling every bump and notch from his past victories against other demigods. As he lifted it from the wall he expected the image on the plaque to disappear but it instead remained etched there as a constant reminder for him.

He turned around and brought the Minotaur out into the sandy arena training area where he had already lit a brazier earlier. His hands shook slightly but it held the horn reverently just the same. He would not drop this treasure even if someone cut off his arms.

After a few steps he found himself in front of the fire looking at the flames. They seemed to be brighter than usual with each tongue surging upwards as if to claim the sacrifice from him. It seemed eager for the legendary prize.

He gently moved his hands from the horn itself down to the string he added to hold the horn to the wall. Percy's arms were slightly raised above eyelevel bring the treasure directly in front of him over the fire.

Knowing this was the hardest part, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes not wanting to watch what happened next. As if trying to rip a band-aid off he opened his palms to let the spoil go. He knew no sound would come from the spoil as that usually didn't happen with sacrifices. Instead a soft Seabreeze would seem to roll in from no where to confirm the sacrifice and indicate his father's acceptance. The odd thing was that didn't happen this time for some reason.

Opening his eyes to see what was wrong he discovered the problem pretty quickly.

Resting in his hands was the Minotaur horn still. He hadn't actually let it go.

 _It's alright. You can do this Percy_. He thought to himself. It was definitely one of the more difficult things he'd ever done but it was for Asia. He knew he'd made the right call to ask for his dad's help last night and didn't regret that. But now that he was paying the price for it he was finding the cost very painful. But he would do anything for his friends and Asia was definitely his friend even if their interaction together had been fairly limited so far.

He took another deep breath determined to do it this time. The glow from the fire cast a bright light on the underside of the horn causing the black color of it to absorb the light. It seemed supernatural but then again this was from a legendary Greek monster so it definitely was.

"For you dad. Thanks for the help last night" he said quietly in prayer to his father out loud this time. He hoped that making the prayer verbal would give him more incentive to actually release the treasure this time.

He was mistaken.

"Gods damnit" he swore loudly as he suddenly pulled the horn out from about the fire. He brought the treasure close to his chest as if cradling it with the same care and loving he did his sister last night.

 _ **WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?**_ The voice of Tiamat shouted aloud suddenly. She'd remained quiet ever since last night and this was the first time she'd spoken since. Not exactly what Percy was expecting to hear from her either.

 _ **WHAT MADNESS IS THIS!?**_ She demanded in succession.

Percy was looking down at the horn in respect. He could feel the heat on the bottom where it absorbed the hotness of the flames but it wasn't anything bad. To anyone else it might have caused a serious burn but his heat and flame-resistant skin made him a bit more durable in this area.

"I'm fulfilling my promise to my father for last night" he said in answer. She had heard the exchange in his head so he didn't know why she seemed so confused by this. At least he thought she heard them. She was a part of him so it made sense.

 _ **NO! NONONONO!**_ _**THIS IS OURS! OUR TREASURE! WE CANNOT SACRIFICE OUR TREASURE! FIND SOMETHING ELSE!**_ She ended that with a humph indicating that she wouldn't be swayed by this.

Unfortunately, it didn't work that way.

Percy felt like everything she said was right. All these treasures he had were his. He fought tooth and nail with blood and sweat and tears in some cases for them. He could never sacrifice one of them.

He felt his eyes drift back to his trophy room taking in every object again. He realized that for each object he was making up excuses to not sacrifice them. Each of them held merit in their own right and he knew his father would accept them in the end. Even the Hellhound pelts though if he was honest that would be a poor sacrifice still.

So then why did he come up with excuses for not sacrificing any of them?

 _ **Because they are ours**_ Tiamat answered his unasked question. As if that answered everything.

He shook his head trying to get his head around everything.

"What do you mean? I make sacrifices to my dad every day for meals and whatnot. Why is this any different?"

 _ **Food is not a treasure. We have fought hard to earn these. THEY ARE OURS! Nobody elses! Bad things happen when we give treasures to others.**_ She grumbled out that last sentence with a bitterness he hadn't heard from her before. Even when dealing with his dad locking her away Tiamat seemed ok with her situation when she realized the truth. That didn't make her happy but she at least understood it. This somehow seemed worse.

"Have you had other treasures before?" Percy asked hesitantly. The question felt like dangerous territory but he needed to know the truth.

For a minute Tiamat didn't answer. The silence was broken up only by the crackling coals in the brazier but eventually she gave in.

 _ **Do you remember when I mentioned letting the Red Dragon Emperor borrow my treasure to the Olympians the other day**_ she asked at last.

Percy nodded his head which must have translated as yes nonverbally and seemed good enough for her to continue.

 _ **Well HE DESTROYED IT! MY PRECIOUS TREASURES! After all my years of gathering my collection and what does he do? He asks to borrow it to fight his mortal foe Albion and they destroy it. Not a single piece left. All my hard work gone with nothing to show for it.**_

Her voice trailed off after that. She was clearly devastated by this. Percy remembered her saying that this eventually led her to tracking down this Red Dragon Emperor and attacking him and somebody else, this Albion he supposed, in an effort to reclaim it or at least get something back. And that eventually led her to being sealed in his Sacred Gear.

If there was a better example of bad things happening from good deeds he couldn't think of one.

"And so, this is why we can't make a sacrifice?" he asked after a minute of her apparent crying if the sniffling sound she was making was accurate.

 _ **YES! Never again will I let anyone borrow my, or my users, treasures. No good will ever come from it. I was influencing your earlier decisions. You can't sacrifice any of those.**_

"Tiamat! I have to sacrifice something. My father is expecting it."

 _ **You did not swear on the River Styx so it doesn't hold**_ she said stubbornly.

"This is my dad though! The only god who I haven't really pissed off. It doesn't matter I didn't swear on the Styx; he'd be severely disappointed if I didn't."

 _ **Doesn't matter. You don't need him. You have enough power on your own anyway.**_ She continued.

"What?" he asked confused. His father was a god. Sure, he had fought other gods and titans before but they were incredibly difficult fights. And fighting against his father would have to be the dumbest idea he could ever have anyway. He had millennia of experience with the same domain as him and was just generally more powerful. Tiamat's comment didn't make sense.

 _ **Your Sacred Gear Hatchling. It is far more powerful than you realize. With it you could potentially kill gods**_.

Now that seemed farfetched. Up till this point he had definitely made some impressive things happen. Hurricanes and storms and that one odd rainbow. But to kill a god? That didn't seem likely. His skepticism must have rolled through his mind because before he could even talk Tiamat continued.

 _ **Yes hatchling. You could eventually kill a god with it. Maybe not now but at some point, if you get powerful enough, you definitely could. We will work together on your powers in the coming weeks but that isn't important right now. Right now, what is important, is not making any sacrifices. I won't allow it**_.

Percy could tell that he wouldn't be getting further answers on his Sacred Gear right now so he shut down that line of thinking momentarily. They'd be getting back to it soon enough though.

"Tiamat" he said aloud softly. He had no desire to part with any of his treasures either as he felt unbelievably close to them, no doubt due to Tiamat's influence, but he still have to sacrifice something.

"Tiamat" he said again. "Please, I have to give something to him. There must be something we can work out."

The demigod could feel his partner grumble in his soul. She was displeased he continued challenging her.

 _ **No,**_ she said simply.

"Come on" he said growing frustrated himself. "There has to be something we can do. I have to make this sacrifice. If you don't give me your input then I have no choice but to just find a way to do it on my own."

 _ **You wouldn't dare**_ the dragon said menacingly.

"I have to make this sacrifice. Work with me and I promise I will do anything I can to help. We'll work twice as hard to find more treasures or something" he said grimacing thinking about all the future monsters he would come across to fulfill that end of the bargain.

Tiamat didn't speak again letting out only a small humming. Percy had identified that the humming was her thinking.

Finally, after a few minutes of tense waiting, his partner spoke.

 _ **I will allow a sacrifice of one treasure if you abide by my terms**_ she said at last.

Percy let out breathe of relief at that. He really didn't want to go behind her back to do anything. It felt a little like betraying himself which hurt a lot.

"What are the terms?" he asked knowing they would probably be difficult to fulfill.

The dragon let out a small growling sound as if to acknowledge his thought was right.

 _ **First,**_ she said, _**you must promise me that you will never, ever, sacrifice one of our treasures ever again. They belong to us and nobody else. I don't care if your mother is dying a most painful death you will never promise our treasures again.**_

"That seems harsh" he said thinking about his mother. "Not even for my mom? I can't in good conscious do that."

Fortunately, the dragon seemed to consider that.

 _ **Mhmm… perhaps only in the event of your mother or your sister. BUT NOBODY ELSE! EVER! Not Paul, not Poseidon, not Asia. Nobody. You will swear this on the River Styx.**_

"On the Styx?!" He asked shocked. That wasn't a small promise to make at all. "Why do I have to make that promise?!"

 _ **For two reasons,**_ she answered. _**The first being that you recognize the importance of this promise. It is for your own good in the end. I have millennia of experience of my own and you will come to see the wisdom in my words. Being in debt to powerful beings puts you at their mercy. I will not have that of us.**_ Percy grimaced again realizing that she had a good point. Owing the gods was not what he wanted at all.

 _ **Secondly,**_ she continued, _**you are somewhat immortal now. With that means that you can escape oaths on the Styx to a certain degree. But the punishment you deserve for breaking your oath will extend to your friends and loved ones if you do. I know how much your friends matter to you. You will not break your oath for this reason.**_

That was a coldblooded thought. But Tiamat was right. Percy had actually forgot all about his new status as a demigod/devil hybrid making him questionably immortal. They still didn't know for certain. But he would be willing to face any kind of punishment from the Styx if it saved someone he cared about. Now that he knew that the punishment would go to another his chances of breaking the oath just fell to practically zero.

He felt a hint of anger to the dragon but agreed just the same.

"Fine" he said "I'll make the oath when the rest of your terms are explained. Tiamat seemed content with that.

 _ **Next, you will help me track down and build a much greater collection of treasures as you originally suggested. My original collection had some gold and jewels but some rare items as well but I find the spoils of war even better than those. We have won all the treasures and I enjoy the knowledge that we earned them.**_

Percy grunted in agreement still somewhat sour over his upcoming promise. Tiamat took that for what it was.

 _ **Third, I get to choose this sacrifice. And you can be damn sure it isn't going to be that horn you're cradling right now. You'd best go put it back where it belongs.**_

At that one Percy felt a sense of burden lift from his shoulder. He didn't want to part with the Minotaur horn anyway. It meant too much to him. Tiamat might have been influencing him earlier but he knew it was he himself who couldn't let go of the horn as a sacrifice.

"We have to give something of real value." He said walking back into the trophy room and putting the horn away. "Not the Hellhound pelts and not the Feather. The pelts aren't important enough and the feather is from the wrong pantheon. I don't think my dad would appreciate that at the end of the day."

Tiamat growled loudly but seemed to realize he was right.

 _ **Fine.**_ She said bitterly. _**Then we will sacrifice the Chimera horn. The lesser of the two. The one where you escaped rather than killed it. That will be the sacrifice.**_

Percy nodded knowing he couldn't sway her. Not that he really wanted to anyway. Of all his spoils this is one he earned not by defeating the monster but by escaping. Definitely lessor to an extent but one his father would accept all the same. Plus, his had the other horn still so it was almost as if he didn't actual sacrifice it.

 _ **Finally,**_ she said as he picked up the Chimera goat horn, _**you will help me beat down the Red Dragon Emperor and recover what treasures from him we can.**_

This time her words were venomous. She hated this Red Dragon Emperor something fierce and frankly Percy didn't blame her. In fact, he felt some hatred towards this mysterious figure himself. If he had loaned out the Minotaur's horn to somebody only for them to eventually destroy it he'd be pissed off as well. Of all the terms she gave this one seemed the most agreeable to him.

"Alright" he said at last as he made his way over to the still lit brazier. The fire was glowing a deep orangey red and he stood over it with the Chimera horn firmly in his hand. There were no shaking or sweaty palms this time. "I accept your terms." He intoned deeply.

 _ **Mhmm… good. Then make your oath and make the sacrifice.**_

He nodded. "I swear on the River Styx that I will not make any further sacrifices of my Treasures except in the case to help or save my mother or sister. Or if Tiamat gives me permission otherwise." He added at the end just in case. The dragon didn't seem to mind the addition.

Outside a deep thunder rumbled in the sky. He shouldn't have heard it as this room was supposed to be soundproof but he guessed the sacred nature of the oath superseded the magic of the room.

He took another deep breath and released the horn in his hand. This time what was supposed to happen actually did.

The horn fell to the fire and right as it reached the tips of the flames it vanished to the home of his father. A Seabreeze somehow managed to blow in the enclosed room acting as acknowledge from his father.

The sacrifice was complete. He had fulfilled his end of the deal and now Asia was safe.

Percy quickly doused the flames of the brazier and lifted it with water from his sink nearby into the corner where it usually rested. He went upstairs after that thinking about his promises to Tiamat.

"So," he asked as he settled down into the couch in his living room. His mom was still at the hospital with Estelle and Paul had quickly run to the school to gather some papers he had to grade leaving in a hurry yesterday. "Who's this Red Dragon Emperor anyway?"

 _ **Oh, you've already met him**_ she answered him. _**It's that boy Issei. He just doesn't know it yet. I'm waiting for Ddraig to wake up before we pounce on him**_

Somehow that didn't surprise Percy in the least. From what little Percy knew about Issei the boy was only a pervert and didn't try very hard in school. Plus, he was also now a devil in Rias' peerage. Every time he looked at him Percy felt the urge to just beat the Hades out of him. He didn't know if that was Tiamat's influence or his own natural dislike. Probably both.

"Who's Ddraig?" he asked hoping for more detail.

 _ **Ddraig himself is the Red Dragon. Issei is simply the user of his Sacred Gear. But Ddraig is still asleep right now. Issei hasn't managed to wake him up yet and doesn't know he exists even if I can tell. It's only a matter of time though. And when he does wake up we will confront him about it.**_ She said that last part quite forcefully.

"Alright" Percy said not feeling too bad about it. Issei had pissed him off on his own after all. And, he did tell Rias right out that he would beat up Issei if he annoyed him. He supposed that extended to Tiamat as well.

Percy turned on the tv then and put on some American channel. He didn't want to think anymore about sacrifices or Issei or anything else right then. He just wanted to get lost in some good ole fashion baseball.

And that's what he did.

At least until the door knocker rang that was.

He groaned and slowly made his way to the door ready to shoo away whoever was there.

Except when he opened the door he was surprised by the flying form of Asia who gave him a big hug.

"Oh, Percy!" the girl said demurely. "Thank you and your family so much for letting me stay here. It really means a lot to me. I promise I can help cook and clean and do laundry and -" she was cut off when Percy gently pried her off looking at her in confusion.

"Asia?" he asked confused. "What in Hades is this about?"

"I can answer that" the mature voice of Rias said stepping into the house. She gave Asia a brief look before smiling at Percy. "Why don't we head into the living room and I'll explain further."

Together, Asia and Rias made their way into the living room leaving Percy to look at a collection of boxes sitting in his front yard. He let out another low groan.

"Why the fuck does weird shit keep happening to me?" he asked aloud.

He gently closed the door preparing himself for what was bound to be another confusing discussion.

* * *

The fire was still roaring with the campers singing their camp songs all around Annabeth. The Apollo cabin had taken their usual role of lead singers breaking out the classic _This Land is Minos' Land_ and the Hermes cabin favorite of _I Am My Own Great-Great-Great-Great Grandpa_. Everyone was really into the singing and the fire was well over 12 feet with a bright reddish golden hue.

Everyone except for Annabeth that was.

Ever since Nico disappeared in the early morning hours with Will her mind had been running a hundred miles an hour with thoughts and worries. They might have actually been able to successfully sneak out of camp if they hadn't gone to get Mrs. O'Leary first. The massive Hellhound had barked loudly waking up almost everyone in camp at four in the morning. Annabeth wasn't the only won running out in her night gown with a sword in her hand.

She had yelled for Nico and Will to explain where they were going but by the time she reached the arena Nico had commanded Mrs. O'Leary to shadow travel away.

And considering it was Mrs. O'Leary that meant there was really only one likely destination.

Wherever in Japan Percy was.

All day long she wondered what exactly was happening that required the assistance of the son of Hades, the best camp medic, and an overly large Hellhound. Her initial thoughts were that Percy had somehow been hurt otherwise why would he need the assistance of Will. It made sense considering everything she had learned since yesterday.

Now that everyone knew that Percy was doing, thanks to Hermes little trip, she had been studying every little piece of information she could get on these Devils and Angels. She had done some brief looking into when he originally told her and discovered a few things but nothing she could confirm with total accuracy. Her plan was to gather as much information on the Christian Pantheon that she could so that she could eventually convince the gods to let her go and help. Except instead of helping she was mainly intent on repairing her relationship with Percy.

Unfortunately, the gods seemed to recognize this – it was a pretty straight-forward plan, but sometimes the best ones are the most simple - and her mom kept increasing her workload on the Olympus repairs. That prevented her from really getting spending a lot of time learning about the monsters and mythology of Christianity. It was the largest religion in the world so of course she knew some information about it and ever since she discovered the truth about her godly heritage that is where she spent most of her focus. Still, she wished she knew a lot more. She was by no means any kind of expert.

 _Yet_ she thought to herself. She promised herself that she would learn everything she could about the Christians and she was going to do just that.

When she realized her mom was trying to get Annabeth's mind off of Percy she went along with it and increased her production on the Olympus repairs five-fold. And now, after a full month of constant dedication to her dream goal, she was finally wrapping up the minor details of the Home of the Gods.

Those months when the gods had closed down Olympus didn't go wasted by Annabeth. When Percy went missing she of course had her meltdown phase where she searched every nook and cranny in the United States for him but when Jason, Leo and Piper came back explaining that he was probably at Camp Jupiter she relaxed her mind a little bit. Percy was a Seaweed Brain through and through so she still worried that he'd somehow find himself on the chopping block for saying something stupid but she knew there wasn't anything she could do to help it in the meantime.

That meant she had a lot of free time on her hands to help Leo in the design of the Argo II, get ahead on her school work, and create as many blueprints for Olympus as she wanted. And when Annabeth got really anxious about something she often found herself binge drawing architecture.

She found herself extremely grateful for the brief months where sleep just seemed to elude her and she spent all her time drawing.

Her final blueprint was with her mother now for final approval. It was a large statue collection to honor the three Graces: Aglaea, Euphrosyne, and Thalia. Each was lifesized completely naked holding hands and smiling. They were inside a large circular dome with depictions of beauty and nature and Annabeth specifically designed it so that when the sun shone down through the dome it's rays would reflect of mirrors around the temple causing the statues to light up in a golden light. She had done something similar for both Aphrodite and Apollo.

Why, after all these centuries, the Greeks still preferred their statuary naked Annabeth had no clue.

What she did know though was that the temple was easily the best one she had ever designed. There was no chance her mother would reject it which is why Annabeth was going to take up her Christian studies again first thing in the morning.

Or at least after her interrogation of Nico and Will if they came back by then.

Just thinking about Nico and Will again brought up some bad memories with Annabeth and she grimaced at the thoughts. Fortunately, it was dark out being almost time for lights out so nobody saw.

Her mind drifted to her horrible breakup with Percy just a few short months ago. She thought that if she could motivate him into working harder then they could go to college in New Rome like they had been discussing over the summer. Everything was set up to work to that goal when they received word that Percy would have to repeat the grade. She felt horrible for both their sakes and knew Percy felt similarly.

Annabeth promised to help him work hard and get his grades up so he could graduate sooner and join her as soon as possible. She even devised a detailed plan to get him to done with school quickly, marking out each subject matter, the required level of knowledge needed to pass, and an in-depth study plan to pass said subject.

Everything was working great at first but it wasn't even a full two weeks into school that their study sessions quickly devolved into make-out sessions. She knew deep down that she was just as responsible for those as he was but she couldn't bring herself to admit that out loud. Percy usually recognized that anyway so she didn't feel the need to acknowledge it. Even both Sally and Paul had mentioned one or two times that they weren't actually studying which was embarrassing for a whole host of reasons.

She had heard from Percy what "The Talk" with his mom had been like when they first started dating and had no desire to be anywhere near him if Sally decided to give an impromptu repeat performance.

So, Annabeth devised a new plan. One she knew would be even more effective. She thought back on her relationship with Percy and knew exactly what she needed to do.

What was the one surefire way to get Percy to confront problems and deal with a situation? Why to call him on his shit and/or a coward of course.

It had worked quite well with the war against Kronos, somehow spurring him into taking the Curse of Achilles and gathering everyone together for war, though that wasn't exactly the reason she confronted him. And it had actually worked well in getting their relationship started in the first place. She knew that if she continued to let him speak on his sixteenth birthday that he would have eventually asked her out. She just beat him to the punch and spared him some discomfort that time.

So, if it worked both those times then it should definitely work this time. One of her distant relatives had once said that "once is an accident, twice is coincidence, three times is a pattern" and it certainly seemed true.

She had broken up with Percy rather publicly at camp one weekend and they had a huge fight about some details with their relationship. Minor stuff that most couples went through and they normally could have worked out but it was the perfect excuse to execute her plan.

Sure, she hurt a bit at first wanting to call Percy every day to apologize and find out how his day was. She wanted to hear his voice again as he laughed about something stupid he did or happened at school. But she couldn't. She knew in time it would be worth it. In the meantime, she had to remain strong until Percy had become motivated to pass his classes quicker.

She kept busy with her own school work and more Olympus blueprint design binging. She even had a few guys ask her out, demigods included, when they found out she was single. Annabeth didn't even take a breath before she rejected each and every one of them.

There was only one guy for Annabeth and his name was Percy Jackson.

Eventually, she got an Iris-message from Piper saying that Percy wanted everyone gathered in Camp Jupiter because he had some kind of message to tell us. She took that as a good omen as Camp Jupiter was where they planned on living after graduating anyway.

Oh, how wrong she was.

When she first got there everyone was friendly like usual though Piper gave her the odd glance occasionally. Nobody seemed to know what Percy called them together for so it was a mystery to everyone.

Then, when she found out that he was going on a mission for the gods she felt a tiny part of her heart shatter at the news. He was going on a deadly quest by himself in a land outside the gods center of power. And to make matters even worse, the mission involved him being betrothed to some upstart hussy. Someone who was probably born into great power and prestige being fed from a silver spoon all their life. The kind of person both Annabeth and Percy didn't care for.

And because of everything she did up to that point she had nobody to blame but herself.

That's when the real tears started falling. Before it was just a matter of time till she could get back together with Percy but now the break-up felt a hundred times more real. So, she made her promise to learn everything she could about the Christians and go and help Percy. There had to be another way to help form an alliance.

Or at least that was until Hermes stopped by yesterday.

When she found out what had happened to say she was shocked would be a massive understatement.

Percy, her beloved Seaweed Brain, had died. He left this world completely and made the journey to Elysium never to see his living friends again. They never discussed what would happen if one of them should die before the other – that was seen as bad luck in demigod couples – but they both assumed that the other would at least wait for them. With how notoriously short demigod lives often were it was simply a matter of time.

But as Hermes was speaking she couldn't help but worry that maybe he had chosen rebirth. They weren't together so Percy had no need to wait for her. When he told her that Percy had achieved the Isle of the Blest she couldn't be happier as that would mean he wouldn't choose rebirth so he was waiting.

Except for the minor detail that Percy had been resurrected of course.

She felt mixed emotions about that if she was honest with herself. For one thing, he had been brought back as a devil and the gods didn't seem to know what to make of his mixed heritage, or at least that's what Hermes implied if his tone was anything to go by. For another, Hades was surely furious about Percy leaving the Underworld. Nico had practically confirmed that to everyone and Hades and Percy already didn't get along all that well.

But perhaps the two most significant issues that clashed in Annabeth's mind were the simple fact that he was back amongst the living and that he was now a monster. Most Christian depictions of devils usually showed them as scarred and deformed creatures with terrible wings and vicious claws. She really hoped Percy didn't look like that. Perhaps his divine Poseidon blood had offset that from happening? She could only hope that was the case. She would always love Percy for everything they did together and she wouldn't hold his monster form against him like he knew some other campers might. They'd met enough friendly monsters in their years that she knew he would turn out to be that way.

What she really cared about though was he was the fact he was alive. He was still in the world which meant that Annabeth could find him and apologize for everything. Finding out about him dying really scared her more than any other time before. She would swallow her pride and apologize and ask him to take her back. Privately of course. No need to make that a spectacle as their break-up had been.

And then she would help him in this war against the Devils. The perfect team, brain and brawn; just the two of them like old times.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't even notice a black shadow suddenly begin forming in the center of the gathering right next to the campfire. She only became aware that Nico and Will came back when the other Athena campers around her gasped at the sudden appearance.

As the two came out of Shadow Travel she saw the condition they were both in. Nico looked exhausted though Annabeth thought that might be due to travelling from Japan seeing as Will looked completely ok. It was almost ten o'clock here in New York which meant that it was about eleven in the morning in Japan. Wherever they were they must have spent the night.

Both their clothes had cuts and tears in them though Nico looked worse in that regard than the son of Apollo. Probably because Will was a known pacifist who only defended himself in combat rather than attacking. The war against Kronos had been a rare exception to that and even then, he spent most of his time healing the other demigods instead of defending against the invaders.

Nico slumped over into Will's arm momentarily after the Shadow Travelling was complete but when he realized the eyes of all the campers were on them he quickly drew himself up and started walking away to his cabin. Will followed at a sedated pace just behind him and was mumbling quite words.

The appearance of Nico and Will seemed to be too much excitement for one night as right as Annabeth was about to get up and confront them Chiron stepped up and dismissed the campfire. It was time for bed for everyone and they needed a good nights sleep for Capture the Flag tomorrow.

Annabeth quickly turned to her brother Malcolm who clearly knew what she was going to say.

"Don't worry Annabeth, I have the light's out ritual down pat by now. I'll take care of the cabin so go ahead and interrogate Nico. Watch out for the Harpies when you come back though."

The demigoddess daughter of Athena felt extremely grateful right then and gave a smile to her brother before running off in direction of the Hades cabin.

Every time she went up to Cabin 13 she felt an uneasiness descend over her. The obsidian walls that Nico used to build the cabin made up the entire structure and there were no windows to let in the sun or moon. Only an eerie green fire that were lite on torches provided a light source. A large skull sat over the doorway much like the other cabins had their own parents divine symbol over theirs.

She banged loudly on the door demanding entry.

"Open the door Nico!" she said somewhat loudly. The other campers were shuffling off to bed but nobody was asleep yet so she didn't feel bad about yelling.

"Go away Annabeth" Nico said through the iron door. "I'll talk to you tomorrow."

That wasn't good enough for Annabeth. She growled lightly and banged on the door again.

"Di Angelo! If you don't open this door in the next three seconds…" she left her threat open to interpretation. Anyone who knew Annabeth knew how vicious she could be with her threats. There was a reason the Hermes cabin didn't often prank the Athena cabin – or at least avoided upsetting Annabeth specifically. Even Percy, Jason, and Thalia had there moments when they avoided angering the daughter of Athena.

Nico was a bit of an outlier in this regard. His earlier jealousy of her over Percy caused him to develop a lot more of a backbone in regards to her than the others. That didn't mean he wanted to antagonize her. It just meant he was willing to take it farther than the others were.

It seemed the gods were with her tonight though as she heard a heavy sigh before the door opened up and she stepped through.

She forgot just how creepy the inside of the cabin was really like. Coffin shaped beds lined the sides of the room made up with blood red sheets and pillows. A small shrine to Hades sat in the middle complete with bones and jewels to represent his domains. There wasn't anything even remotely personal about this cabin specific to Nico other than a small collection of Mythomagic of figurines and cards in a corner. Percy said that he had burned his original set so he must have bought a new deck to play with. The lone figurine of Hades sat in front of all the others; the exact one Percy had told her that Bianca had retrieved at the cost of her life in the Junkyard of the Gods.

"What do you want Annabeth?" the tired voice of Nico said from a bed nearby. The door closed behind her and the figure of Will stepped past to check on Nico. He gave a small nod to himself when Nico seemed ok, just tired.

"What do I want?" she asked incredulously, "well for starters how about where were you? Why did you leave at four in the morning? Why didn't you tell Chiron or anyone else? Was this about Percy? Is his alright? Can I help him? What's going on?"

Annabeth spit all that out rapid-fire finding herself breathing quickly when she finished. She could tell it was overwhelming but she _had_ to know everything that happened.

Nico gave a small shake of his head.

"Can we not do this in the morning? He's very tired Annabeth" Will said standing up. He looked like he was going to confront her but Nico forestalled him.

"Forget it Will. She's too damn nosy for her own good. She won't drop this for anything."

It was meant to be an insult but it wasn't completely inaccurate. Annabeth did have to know everything. Knowledge meant wisdom and wisdom meant power. You could defeat just about anyone when you knew every detail about them. All you had to do was devise a plan to highlight their weaknesses. Everyone had them. Annabeth decided to let Nico's comment go and instead looked directly at the son of Hades with her fierce glare.

He gave a heavy sigh.

"Alright" he began. "Yes, we went to see Percy. He needed help with something – no I'm not telling you, that's for him to say – and wanted backup. That of course meant we went to Japan. Again, I'm not telling you specifically. You'll have to figure that out on your own. The message I got from Percy this morning was quick and I didn't have time to tell anyone other than Will, who of course demanded to join me" that last part was said in exasperation though there was a hint of fondness in his voice. "As for Percy specifically? He's alright. Better than alright in a lot of ways. You heard Will yesterday, he's completely healed from his quests. Much better than you or me for that matter anyway."

Both Nico and Annabeth had experienced very similar situations as Percy so they too weren't exactly the heathiest demigods at camp. They definitely weren't as bad as Percy but they weren't better than the average camper either.

"Why didn't he ask for my help?" she asked quietly to herself. She kind of realized why but she thought that if the situation was serious enough Percy would at least ask for her help. Of everyone she knew him better than anybody. The fact he called Nico instead of her hurt more than she thought it might.

Nico scoffed at her words and rolled his eyes. Even Will looked somewhat surprised by Annabeth's question though they didn't understand all her thoughts about the past few months. They could never comprehend the genius that was her plan if it only didn't experience a few bumps along the way.

"You know the answer to that Annabeth" Nico said deadpan. "I doubt you'd be a person Percy would call for anything anymore. He made it pretty clear at the gathering in New Rome what he needed to do now. I seriously doubt having his ex-girlfriend hang around would make things easier for him."

Annabeth felt her breath hitch at that.

"Does that mean there is already someone picked out?" she asked worriedly. If that was the case then Annabeth had even less time than she thought.

Nico gave a hesitant nod. "We talked briefly this morning before we left" he said. "Percy said Aphrodite had narrowed it down to a single choice and the gods were going to vet her soon. Something about a meeting or something. I don't know exactly." He said when Annabeth stepped up to him and looked ready to torture him for more information.

She growled out loud at that.

 _If the gods have already found somebody then it might be too late_ she thought. But that couldn't be true. Annabeth refused to accept that. Athena always had a plan and if there was one thing Annabeth could do it was turn a situation around in her favor.

She decided to shelve those thoughts momentarily until she could formulate a solid plan tomorrow. Besides, Nico had perhaps more important information for her right then.

The demigod of the Underworld looked skeptically at her when she didn't say anything but she found him relax when Annabeth took a step back and put on her contemplative face. Now was the time to find out more about Percy and these Devils. Know thy enemy the ancient general Sun Tzu had had. And she would know everything she could about them from wherever she could get the knowledge from.

"Is Percy ok?" she asked quietly then. It wasn't hesitant. Annabeth never spoke hesitantly to anybody other than Percy. But is was quieter than her usual questions. "I mean… is his still human I guess? I've seen the pictures of devils and they look very fierce." She thought that might be a better description than monstrous.

Nico didn't say anything but fortunately Will decided to talk then. He looked nervous as if they were discussion some taboo topic but one look from her convinced him to speak.

"He still looks like he always has" he said. She found herself letting out a very small breath so quiet she doubted they heard it. "Happier when we left for sure but overall he was alright."

"Happy?" she asked confused. Being turned into a monster didn't seem like something to be happy about.

Will nodded before a smile graced his face. "Sally gave birth to her daughter last night. Percy's a big brother now."

Annabeth couldn't help a smile appear on her own face. She knew how badly Paul wanted a child of his own, not that Percy wasn't his kid but having a demigod around made for some complicated situations, and Sally seemed eager to have another child herself. When they all found out she was pregnant it was a very happy day for everyone. Annabeth couldn't be more thrilled for Paul and Sally and Percy looked absolutely ecstatic about the news. She knew he'd be a good father to their own children one day.

She was still determined to make that happen.

"That's good. Very good. I'm happy for all of them." She said. "I'll give him an Iris-Message later and tell him congratulations."

Nico cleared his throat but didn't say anything. Annabeth chose to ignore it.

"Now" she continued, "what can you tell me about the Devils? Surely, you came across a few while you were there."

Will grimaced but Nico let out a small growl of his own. Both looked at each other quickly before looking back at Annabeth. It was Nico that spoke.

"They're idiots" he said succinctly. She waited for him to elaborate but he seemed content to just leave it at that.

"Ok" Annabeth responded, "and what does that mean exactly?"

This time Will spoke.

"It means that they are young and didn't know what they were doing. Nico and I talked about it last night. The Devil that resurrected Percy, her name is Rias, doesn't know anything about the Greek Pantheon other than it exists. She seems smart from what Percy told us but she honestly had no idea we were demigods. We could feel the monster instincts in our blood from there presence which surely meant they could smell our scent but they didn't make any outward acknowledge about us."

Annabeth took all that in. It was a lot to process and she knew she'd have to really take her time to analyze the information.

Nico continued after that.

"They seem relatively powerful though we only met a handful. Much like demigods, they seemed to have their own strengths and weaknesses. We didn't spend a long time with them so I can't give you specifics" he said that last bit to cut off the words that were about to escape her open mouth.

She snapped it shut thinking about how to handle the devils moving forward.

"How about Rias specifically? Do we know what kind of relationship she has exactly with Percy?" she felt a small twinge in her stomach but immediately shoved it down. This Devil woman resurrected Percy so as much as Annabeth disliked her for that she couldn't completely hate her either. She did bring back her soon-to-be boyfriend to life again.

Nico spoke again. "She seemed likes she cares about her friends and Percy seemed to be included in that. Though according to Percy, they haven't spent a long time together. They did defeat the Hydra together – saw the head in his basement; got to say it was pretty awesome – but other than that they only crossed paths at school. Percy face did grow really red for a brief moment when he mentioned something that happened the night they faced the Hydra but he didn't elaborate."

Nico was smirking as he said that last part and Annabeth gave him the fiercest glare she has ever given anyone before. He was probably just adding that to get under her skin as he no doubt heard about some of the legendary things she did to the Aphrodite cabin when they tried to ask him out. Let's just say that replacing their lipsticks with glue was only child's play compared to what she did to some campers. The word spread quickly after that that Percy was hers and hers alone. Anyone who tried to make a move on him faced the wrath of an angry daughter of Athena who didn't seem to have a problem with stabbing them repeatedly. Needless to say, that nobody made any overt advances on him after that.

"Anything else?" she asked still glaring at him. Percy wouldn't do anything with another girl so soon after knowing her. Even if he was a devil now he was still her Seaweed Brain.

 _At least I hope he is_ a small part of her brain said quietly. She didn't acknowledge it.

Nico shook his head and so did Will.

There was more to the encounter for sure seeing as they were tired and clearly go into a fight but she could get those details in the morning. They had given her enough to think about right now and that was good enough.

With a nod of thanks, she quickly turned around and made her way back to her own cabin thinking deeply about Nico's words.

Percy was alright. Better than alright if what Will said was true. That was good.

He didn't seem to be any dangerous kind of monster though he was clearly part devil now. She'd look into possible reversing the condition later. Maybe if the gods bestowed godhood on him it would eliminate all devil in him. They'd deal with his godhood much more easily than his monster nature. But at least for now he still looked and acted like Percy according to Will. At a minimum that was more than enough until the war was over.

But that left the oath she made yesterday. She had sworn that she would kill whoever was responsible for everything that happened to him.

Did that mean the gods were her enemies?

No. They were the gods and asked him to complete this mission for them. They were certainly the cause of him going to Japan but it wasn't their fault that what happened, happened.

Did that mean that the woman who resurrected him, this Rias character, was the one she needed to kill?

That felt both wrong and right. On one hand, this devil was responsible for turning Percy into a monster. She absolutely need to pay for doing that. Especially turning someone from another pantheon. That was a big no-no if her experiences with the Kane's and Egyptian Magic were anything to go by. But this war was breaking out because of her actions. She probably didn't fully realize it yet but her entire people were going to get punished for her choices. To some extent that made her already meant she was going to serve her punishment. On top of that though was the fact that she did bring Percy back to life. She would forever be grateful for that even if it complicated their relationship.

But that then left only one person who could be responsible for what happened to Percy: whoever killed him.

This was a mysterious figure to her and she would need to look into it further. Maybe Nico had some more information on him or her she could find out in the morning but Annabeth felt resolve with her course of action. All of this, Percy's death, resurrection, the ensuing war to come, was a result of whoever killed him.

Her mind and heart were made up with that determination.

Without even realizing it, Annabeth had entered her cabin, gotten changed into her sleepwear and now stood looking down at her bed. All around her, her brothers and sisters slept peacefully enjoying a quiet night's rest. Annabeth pulled back her blanket and got in bed herself looking at the ceiling.

Her mind was still going a hundred miles an hour just thinking of ideas about how to handle the upcoming war and how to handle Percy and how she could kill his mysterious slayer.

The good news was that she was a daughter of Athena. And Athena always had a plan. She'd come up with something soon enough.

And with that, the demigoddess drifted off to sleep promising to get more information and help her Seaweed Brain as soon as possible.

 **AN - thanks to everyone who reads and reviews on my story. I promised last time that we were going to get some other perspectives in the story and I plan on introducing them this way. This interlude is a split between the 2nd and 3rd arc to kind of give more information about what is happening in the world and how everyone sees things differently. Remember - unreliable narrator.**

 **With that said, I always intended for it to be Sally rather than Percy to confront Rias about her manipulations. I felt like Rias' manipulation powers were way to similar to the Mist which is why I originally made Sally much more resistant to it than others. Of course, with Sally's old age she has less resistance and of course the more powerful the manipulator then the more difficult it would be for her to resist but Rias is still young (17 in canon) and Sally has proven to be very capable of seeing through the Mist quite often even with her older age. And one thing I always admired about Sally in PJO canon was her refusal to accept help from Poseidon and Percy. She's the caregiver in her family and takes that responsibility very seriously. I think this is a similar situation to earlier PJO situations which is why I handled it this way.**

 **As for Percy and Tiamat? Yes that relationship is still growing. It isn't going to be all sunshine and rainbows. This goes to show that they don't really know each other completely and their life experiences are going to affect the other. Hopefully you got some enjoyment out of that.**

 **Lastly, I'm curious as to how everyone took Annabeth's POV. Did you guys enjoy it? Did I manage to hopefully explain Annabeth's reasoning for why she did what she did earlier? I was trying to she her hubris but I'm not sure I captured it well enough. I'd really appreciate feedback on her section particularly.**

 **As always, thank you to everyone. I hope you enjoy and I will have a new chapter up in a few weeks. Check out the profile to find out when.**

 **Thanks all,**

 **Stormwreckin**


	18. Chapter 15: The First Contract… Sort of

Chapter 15: The First Contract… Sort of

"Early morning training!?" the voice of Issei asked confused in the strange club room.

Percy sat looking around at the odd Victorian styled furniture and fixtures wondering if he had somehow gone back in time. He had been in this room the other day after they rescued Issei from Freed but he hadn't paid too much attention to the details then. The couch was still comfortable and that chess board was positioned on the coffee table same as it was the other day, but he had definitely missed the candelabras resting on the end tables and the curio near the door with fancy plates and other knick-knacks in it.

Both Akeno and Asia were seated on either side of Percy leaning close to him. Akeno had her arm wrapped through Percy's and gave him the occasional sultry smile causing the demigod to blush uncomfortably. Which only incentivized the black-haired devil to continue the behavior and giggle girlishly. Asia seemed somewhat oblivious to this, thank the gods, but Koneko and Kiba both noticed and the younger girl rolled her eyes at the display while Kiba seemed to be laughing at him.

Rias sat at the front of the room in a large, fancy, throne-like chair behind a thick mahogany desk. The desk was mostly clear with the exception of a few loose papers which Rias had written on. Issei stood in front of her carrying a bag over his shoulders; his standard school uniform open revealing a red undershirt. Percy felt like he might decide to do that too. With a blue shirt of course. It was a far better color than red.

Tiamat hummed in agreement in his head.

"We need to get you get you worked up to peak physical condition. After going up to the abandoned church I realized that we could all use some new workout routines and you in particular. We have to unlock the potential of your Sacred Gear." Rias answered him.

The redhead was in her standard school uniform and her arms were folded across her chest pushing her breasts up ever so slightly. She had been in deep thought before bringing this up to everyone. A habit she seemed to have developed in the last few days.

Percy didn't really have a problem with the suggestion. He trained every day anyway so this wasn't anything new to him.

"I'll come pick you up in the morning. Five sound good?" she continued innocently.

Now that Percy had a problem with. Apparently so did Issei.

"What? No that's crazy!" He said.

Rias leaned back in the chair looking at him as if that wasn't the right answer though Percy could see she had a small smirk on her face.

"I mean that sounds fine President. Thank you."

The heiress of Gremory smirk grew into a full smile, satisfied with the response.

"I'm going to go hand out fliers now. I'll see you later guys." Issei said one last time turning away and heading to the door.

"Perfect" Rias responded with a polite wave. "I'll see you tomorrow Issei. Have a good night."

Everyone watched the pervert leave the clubhouse. No one spoke for a minute and the only source of noise was that ticking of the Grandfather clock that sat in the corner. Percy tapped Riptide in pen form on his knee with his Akeno-free hand waiting for something to happen. Rias eyed each member of the peerage giving both Asia and himself a good calculating look but didn't say anything.

Finally, Percy couldn't take it anymore.

"So…" he began, "how was everyone's day?"

The others clearly weren't expecting him to talk and Kiba and Akeno both jumped unprepared. Asia chose to actually answer the question though.

"It was such a great day Percy" the innocent blonde said. "I've made so many new friends already. This one girl in my class, Kiriyuu, was so friendly and gave me some great advice for how I can help you and your mom out around the house." Asia's bubbly attitude was contagious and as she was speaking Percy found himself smiling along with her not actually processing her words. If he had he might have remembered that Kiriyuu was the same girl that had the weird ability to tell the size of men's packages.

"That's awesome Asia" Percy said enthusiastically for her benefit. "But you don't need to do anything around the house special. You can help with some chores if you want but you don't actually need to do anything." The truth was they were placed in different classes and Percy was disappointed by that. He had been hoping she would join his class and he'd get a real school friend for the first time since Grover and Rachel. Unfortunately, his classes, 2A, had a lot of the foreign exchange students and the students with learning disabilities. Asia was placed in class 2B because she spoke perfect Japanese and didn't have any other educational problems. It was minor details like this that Percy envied normal mortals. He wouldn't have dyslexia if he wasn't born a demigod.

"Thank you, Percy," Asia continued. "I'm very glad with my decision to join the peerage so far."

That statement brought back memories from the other day's conversation with her and Rias.

When he came back into the living room he found both girls watching the television where his Mets were once again being humiliated by their opponent. He quickly turned off the tv wondering what Asia's comment about moving in had been about only to learn that his mom had extended an invitation to the girl. Not only that, but Asia had chosen to become a devil herself after everything that happened at the Church.

Percy didn't blame her for wanting to leave the Fallen Angels but he didn't know if agreeing to become a devil was the right way to do it. He was a bit upset at first but seeing as she hadn't died and made the choice willingly he didn't really have anything to say against it. He did have a Hellhound pet hidden in his backyard just a few days ago so who was he to say what was normal or not. Besides, according to Asia, she had grown up in the church and had known about Angels, Fallen Angels, and Devils long before she became one.

In the end Percy agreed to go along with it and helped her move her stuff into the white room just across the hall diagonally from his. The pure white walls and bed seemed to fit her innocent naivete perfectly.

"And we're glad you joined us too Asia" Rias said standing up. She made her way over to the couch opposite Percy and sat down between Koneko and Kiba. She smiled broadly at everyone clearly happy to have her most of her peerage together.

"So, everything is working out at home then?" Rias asked curiously.

"Oh, everything is perfect. Paul is very kind and offered to help me with school work and of course Percy is right down that hall so I can always go and talk with him. I actually made dinner for Paul and Percy last night and they seemed to love it. I haven't had the chance to talk to Sally yet but she's supposed to be back tomorrow so I look forward to meeting her." Asia answered happily.

"It was a good dinner" Percy said thinking back to the steaming noodle dish she made. She said she wasn't used to making Japanese food, not that they really were either, but the food was so good that both Percy and Paul found themselves having seconds.

"Well it sounds like everything is working out then" Akeno said on Percy's right. When she spoke, Rias turned to look at her before dropping her eyes to their intertwined arms causing Akeno to giggle softly. Percy looked back and forth between the two clearly missing something but nobody seemed eager to talk about it.

The redhead then continued on turning back to Asia and Percy.

"We should talk about your own training regimes. Asia, I explained a bit about your position as a Bishop in my peerage when I first extended my offer but now that we have more time I want to go into some more detail."

Asia nodded her head thoughtfully in answer.

"As my Bishop you gain enhanced magical abilities that can do a variety of things, be it offensive, defensive, or otherwise. What I want you specifically to focus on is healing. With your Twilight Healing it seems like you'll be able to really grow your power quickest that way while also still be a great asset for the peerage."

Percy agreed with Rias' assessment. He didn't know about Bishops have more magic power but Asia didn't come across as a fighter. Her greatest tool was her Twilight Healing and if she could make sure the rest of them didn't get hurt then that would their greatest advantage.

"I think I can do that" Asia said softly. It wasn't exactly a confident response but Percy would help her if she came across any problems. Or at least help to the extent he was able to.

It seemed to be good enough for Rias as she proceeded to outline some minor things Asia could do to get stronger. Mostly some physical stuff for now but there was mental training that was supposed to help with her magic when the time came to practice it.

"I'll show you the basement when we get home. You can work out with me down there" Percy promised her.

Rias then turned to look at Percy fully.

The demigod could see the crystal clear blue eyes of the redhead and found himself enjoying the view. They were so different from other shades of blue he had seen and just the simple fact they were his favorite color made them all the more attractive.

"Percy" Rias said drawing him out of his thoughts. "We should talk about your position in the peerage now." She seemed somewhat hesitant but plowed right through after a moment when Percy hadn't said anything.

"Well, as I've already explained to the others," she continued, "each member of the peerage has special abilities and characteristics they take on from my evil pieces. Basically, chess pieces." She paused until he nodded his head in understanding.

"First, we have the Bishops, as you just heard with Asia. They have enhanced magic powers. Next, you have the Knight," she pointed towards Kiba, "who have increased speed and mobility powers. They are very useful for high-speed attacks and performing tricky maneuvers." Rias then turned and pointed to Koneko. "We then have the Rooks. Rooks are incredibly strong meaning they have a lot of power to use for attack and defense."

Percy kept nodding his head in understanding. It wasn't so complicated to understand how the attributes came to be. Rooks, or Castles as they were sometimes called, were fortified structures meant to take on damage. It made sense they were strong beings though he was surprised Koneko was a Rook. Knights often rode on horses back in the Medieval Era and were the quickest way to get from place to place so it followed that they were be the fastest pieces. The Bishops he didn't know anything about but he supposed increased magically powers were just as good as anything else.

"That leaves my Queen who is the most powerful piece containing powers of all the others" Rias pointed at Akeno, "and my Pawns" she then pointed at Percy. The demigod frowned at her.

"A Pawn?" he asked slowly. She nodded deliberately.

"Meaning the lowest piece of the chess board and typically the ones sacrificed first." There wasn't a question that time. He had played chess at camp a couple of times with Annabeth and some of the other campers to help improve his strategic thinking skills and if there was one thing that was fairly common in every game it was the pawns were the pieces often given up so the better pieces could get into position.

He felt anger building at Rias when he heard that he was a Pawn. He was nothing but a Pawn his entire life for the Olympians and now he's here in Japan and it seems things aren't different at all.

Rias, and surprisingly Akeno, clearly noticing his darkening attitude quickly moved to try and explain before he exploded.

"No, it isn't like that at all Percy" Rias said shaking her head. Akeno tried to give his arm a squeeze but he ripped his free from hers and stood up walking to the window. He was quietly grumbling to himself getting worked up.

"First dad and the council and now these devils. Everyone only wants to use me. I'm always a pawn" he muttered softly while looking outside. The sun was almost set now casting a reddish glow on the ground and trees. An angry gust of wind blew outside shaking the trees as if in response to his growing attitude though nothing more serious started developing.

"What do you mean?" the voice of Rias said standing next to him. He didn't think she could hear him but apparently, he wasn't quiet enough.

He didn't answer her anyway.

"I told you I wasn't going to be some pawn that you could just order around when I agreed to give the peerage a chance Rias. Why shouldn't I-"

Rias cut him off before he could finish his sentence. "Percy, please, just listen to me for a moment?" she asked him. Percy could hear the hint of pleading in her voice though that was probably just his imagination. He turned from the window to give her a glare but nodded his head.

She took a deep breath.

"In this game, each of my evil pieces has their own powers. And Pawns are not the weakest." Percy scoffed at that but let her continue. "Both you and Issei are my Pawns but you are just as important as any other piece. Pawns can go where other pieces can't, they can become stronger than the other pieces just based on their nature. They have an unique ability called 'Promotion' that allows them to adopt the characteristics of any other piece except for the King. Pawns are extremely versatile and just as important as everyone else."

Her hair swung wildly as she tried to explain herself, the crimson color of it catching the last rays of sun before night set in. Rias gently rested her arm on top of his in a soothing manner that made him really focus on her words.

"And, I would never sacrifice any of my peerage regardless of their position for any reason whatsoever." She ended with passionately.

The others sat on the couch watching the interaction between Rias and Percy not saying anything. Akeno looked back and forth between them as if realizing something but Percy only looked deep into Rias' eyes searching for any signs of deception.

He didn't find any.

Taking a deep breath himself, he forced himself to calm down.

"I dislike being a Pawn" he said at last.

Rias gave smile meant to be consoling. It really wasn't.

"I can't change your position in the peerage; that was decided when I resurrected you. But you can work to become a King in your own right." She added at the end when he scowled at her.

He turned to look out the window again noticing that the sun had finally set behind the trees. Artemis was in the sky driving her moon chariot across the globe. He had no doubt that if she was watching them right now she'd probably be laughing about a man being subservient to a woman.

"How?" he asked. He wasn't normally one to seek power for himself. He never had been before and didn't want the responsibility that came with it. That never seemed to matter back at camp though. In the end he was usually given power because of his heritage and his powers. And the fact he often saved one or two people might have made them look his direction a time or two.

But everything was different with these Devils. Seeking power was not only encouraged but expected. More importantly, he didn't want to remain under anyone. Equality was good, and Rias seemed like that was important to her as well, but at the end of the day he'd have to listen to his "King" here just like he had on Olympus.

"Well, there are a couple ways actually" Rias said turning his head softly and smiling at him. The softness of her hands felt good against Percy's rough face but he didn't let that distract him from being upset with her.

He raised an eyebrow waiting for her to continue.

"The first way is the most common. It is called contracting. Those flyers that Issei is giving out right now? We give those to people and when they want something they contact us and we make a deal with them."

Percy's face blanched at the thought and immediately started shaking his head. He remembered his uncle's words from the other day and he would not be a party to corrupting any mortals lest he face his wrath.

"Yeah, I'm going to pass on that one." He said quickly. "What's next?"

Rias frowned at him. "What do you mean? I planned on sending you out on a contract tonight actually. This is how you can improve your standing as a Devil and progress. You'll have to complete contracts."

Percy then shook his head fervently. He was not, under any circumstances whatsoever, going to make a contract for mortals. "Nope. Absolutely not. What else can I do?"

The demigod gave her a steely look to show that he wasn't going to elaborate but she didn't quite get the message because she gave him a fierce look in return.

"Contracts are one of the surest ways Devils level up in modern day -" she began only to be cut off.

"What other methods are there Rias?" Percy asked somewhat testily.

Rias glared at him momentarily as if she was going to force the issue but decided against it in the end.

"There are military accomplishments, which is all but impossible currently since the ceasefire among the factions, and then there's the rating games, which we can't participate in yet."

Percy felt his eyes twitch involuntarily at the mention of war. None of them knew yet but war was coming for them all soon. Not yet, thankfully but it was coming eventually. Percy hadn't been able to think of any possible way out of it though he did tell Nico and Will before they left that he didn't want war to break out. They've endured enough heartache over the past half-decade.

"What's the rating game?" he asked knowing it was the only his only way of advancing.

 _Then again,_ he thought, _this might not matter in a few months when I leave then to return to Camp._

At his question Rias gave a heavy sigh. She probably hadn't expected Percy to give her so much resistance to which the demigod smirked internally.

"The Rating Game" Rias began, "is the modern method Devils use to promote lower-class devils to a higher ranking. Depending on how you do in the games you are assigned points and of course high-class Devils opinions who watch the games can see how strong and powerful you are and form opinions that way. You do well in a Rating Game and your reputation will increase dramatically."

Percy nodded his head as it made sense. Camp Half-Blood was similar with Capture the Flag and Camp Jupiter with their war games. People wanted the best cabins or cohorts on their teams and by watching how other did often had an impact on who was typically chosen. Because Percy was the son of Poseidon that made him stronger and he was usually one of the first approached about joining which cabin's team held the laurel wreath for the week.

"And the reason we can't participate in the Game yet is because…" he asked her.

"They think we're still a bit too young" Rias said sounding upset by the idea. Percy felt himself empathizing with her. He was fighting monsters knowing since he was twelve and he knew demigods were thrown into Capture the Flag almost immediately after arriving. Waiting till everyone was a bit older seemed stupid when an enemy would attack you regardless of age. "Hopefully in a few months we will have permission to join the Games."

Before anymore could be said Koneko stood up and moved to the side of the couches.

"Rias" she said in her monotone voice, "I have to leave for my contract." The young girl stood cross-armed looking towards the King for permission to leave.

The Redhead responded without turning her attention from Percy.

"Go ahead Koneko. Why don't you take Asia too? Show her the ropes and let her get comfortable with the situation."

Percy sent a short glare Rias' way and turned to look at Asia who seemed in complete conflict with the situation. Percy grimaced at the unsure look on the blonde's face as her eyes went back and forth between Percy and Rias. Her beautiful emerald eyes were wide open watching the two trying to understand what was happening.

"I…" Asia said softly. Percy's heart went out to her knowing he probably just confused her with his refusal to take a contract. "Is this…" she licked her lips nervously. "Percy?" she said at last looking at him pleadingly.

Percy knew he didn't have any answers he could tell her. He cursed himself for ever agreeing with anything the Olympians said and not being able to tell people who he was was at the top of the list. He could understand keeping mortals safe with their ignorance but Asia was a Devil so he didn't see the point behind it anymore. He might have even considered explaining that his Uncle had expressly forbidden him from doing anything but the rest of the peerage was around and he didn't think it was time they found out what he was.

"Come on blondie" Koneko said suddenly pulling Asia into a magic circle that was forming on the floor. The former nun looked at Percy for something but he just shrugged at her trying to give a comforting smile. His problems weren't hers and he wasn't going to drag her down with him.

It was only a second later that the red light flashed and both Koneko and Asia were gone.

Rias took that moment to start asking him questions again.

"Why won't you even consider going on a contract. What aren't you telling me?" she said heatedly. Percy had hoped his outright refusal to take a contract would be enough to dissuade her but he knew Rias was smart and persistent. On top of that there were too many signs of him being a demigod that he couldn't really ignore it much longer.

It would have made things immediately easier right then to just explain his situation but he worried about the future and the war. If word got back to the higher-class Devils what he was then there was the possibility they would start preparing for war themselves in defense of what Rias did. It was a lose-lose situation.

"I just don't like the idea of corrupting mortals" Percy said. He put his hands up and tried to sound defensive to make it more believable. He didn't know if he succeeded though.

Rias looked at him then as if assessing him further. Her analytical once over reminded him too much of Annabeth that he had to turn away only to see that both Akeno and Kiba had apparently left as well. It couldn't have been more than a moment ago they were all here but now it was just Percy and Rias.

"I've told you before that we don't go around corrupting humans" she said. Percy didn't say anything to that as she had mentioned it once or twice before but the concept just seemed too odd to him. Not to mention that Hades and Nico told him outright that Devil caused many problems for mankind. He might be willing to write off his uncle as lying due to his manipulative nature but Nico had become much more trustworthy in the last two years.

Rias didn't say anything either for a moment as her mind was trying to think of something. Percy could practically see the gears turning when suddenly she smiled widely at him and grabbed him arm pulling him to the side of the room.

A magic circle started to form on the floor where they're feet ended up and Percy looked at Rias in complete confusion.

"Uh, Rias?" he asked the smiling Devil.

"Yes Percy?" she answered back.

"Where are we going exactly?" he asked pointing down at the glowing circle.

Her smile widened as she interlocked her arms with his. "I have a contract to do tonight. And I'm going to show you that we don't go around corrupting humans." She said cheekily.

It took a moment for Percy's mind to register what she said but when it did his eyes jumped open and he tried to say something.

Unfortunately, before he could even speak the Devil let out a small laugh and the circle vanished to an unknown destination.

* * *

Percy sat on the ground with his shoes off torn between glaring at his King and praying for forgiveness from his Uncle.

Immediately after they had arrived in the strange room filled with Japanese paraphernalia Percy turned ready to shout at the Redhead only to stop when he noticed a strange person dressed in Samurai garb in front of them. The entire ensemble was present with two Katanas hung on their side, those odd Samurai helmets with horns, and even a scary mask covering the face. The person was just sitting on a stool looking at them not making any movement or sounds.

Percy raised an eyebrow looking at Rias skeptically when he took a step forward to identify who the person was only to be yelled at.

"No shoes on the Sugi!" a shrill feminine voice said reproachingly. Percy looked down and noticed the natural wood flooring covering a square training area between Percy, Rias and the mysterious voice. He jumped back into Rias who looked at him amused before removing her own shoes and crossing over to the Samurai figure who had suddenly stood up.

Percy scowled when he realized he would have to wait to yell at her for bringing him anyway.

Instead he took off his shoes and sat down at the end of the floor with his arms crossed waiting as patiently as his ADHD mind would allow until Rias was done.

Despite his best efforts to ignore it, he still managed to pick up parts of their conversation.

"I'm Susan, a foreign exchange student" the samurai said.

"Really?" Rias asked politely. "Percy here is a foreign exchange student as well. From America specifically."

Samurai Susan nodded at that clearly pleased to have made a connection. "I'm so glad you're nice and kind Devils. If you weren't I'd have to bring out my Katana and slice you up into little tiny pieces." She said that last part while actually taking out her sword and swinging it horizontally in front of Rias. Percy chuckled as the Devil backed up slightly and was glad he was on the other side of the room away from the strange woman.

"You called us here Susan?" Rias asked regaining composure. "What can we do for you today?" Percy scowled at being included but chose not to voice his complaints. He hoped maybe if he ignored it then Hades might not blame him for being involved.

"Well the thing is," she began hysterically and brought her hands up to cover her face; It muffled her voice slightly but not enough for Percy to ignore, "I left my notebook at school and I'm too scared to go and get it by myself."

If Percy had water in his mouth right then he would have done a spit-take at the ridiculous notion of the request. Going to school and getting a notebook? Percy could understand some people being afraid of the dark and not wanting to be attacked by unsavory characters but Kuoh Town was practically crime free and Susan was a mortal so no monsters would attack her.

Rias turned to Percy and gave him a smirk and knowing look that said _see! I told you we don't corrupt humans_.

Percy turned to ignore the redhead which seemed to amuse her immensely.

"Don't worry Susan" Rias said turning to the cowering Samurai girl reassuringly, "we'll take you to school and find your notebook. No problem."

"Oh, thank you kind Devil" Susan responded happily.

The next thing that Percy knew he was walking down the streets of Kuoh Town with Susan leading the way followed by Rias towards their school. He could have taken off for home, and was tempted to in fact, but his presence might attract a monster and because Susan was already around him then it would probably linger around her now as well. He didn't have much choice but to follow to ensure nothing bad happened.

The night was pretty quiet as far as evenings went in Kuoh Town. A few people were about walking on the sidewalks and the occasional car drove by but for the most part nothing odd was happening. Percy felt grateful for that but remained vigilant all the same.

Suddenly, Susan stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and pulled her sword from her hip swinging it about wildly screaming her head off. Percy hadn't noticed anything but he immediately pulled out Riptide and jumped forward next to Rias who seemed caught off by the display as well.

"What is it? What's going on?" he asked allowed looking everywhere. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary though a few bystanders on the other side of the street were looking at them all strangely.

Susan took a few more wild swings before calming down and sheathing her Katana.

"Sorry about that. It's really scary out here. I thought I saw something in the corner of my eye." She said shamelessly and started walking again.

Percy looked at Rias with a _Really?_ Face and recapped Riptide before continuing on behind Susan. He could hear her let out a small sigh before walking behind him.

And that's what happened every few hundred yards as they made their way to the school. Susan would stop and swing her sword crazily causing both Percy and Rias to tense up before she sheathed the blade, apologized, and then continued on as if nothing had happened.

It was really starting to grate on Percy's nerves as she did it for the fifth time when they finally found themselves at the school. It looked peaceful without any students running around or perverts trying to peep on girls though there were the few odd students milling about on their way home after a practice or club.

"I'll go and grab it and be right back" Susan said walking into the fully lit school. Percy heaved a sigh of relief as the door to the school closed and they were temporarily rid of her.

"So, am I corrupting a human as you say?" the voice of Rias suddenly drifted over to him. She had her hands on her hips with a smug smile on her face that showed off her white teeth.

Percy turned to her looking furious.

"What the Hades do you think you were doing!? I told you I wasn't going to take on any contracts so what made you think it would be a good idea to drag me to one anyway?"

She continued smiling at him with that smug grin.

"I could tell you wouldn't have come any other way" she said to him. "Am I wrong though? Have I done anything that would remotely resemble corrupting Susan?"

Percy scowled turning away from her. He didn't want to admit that she might have been right. But this was still only one contract and it wasn't over yet.

He chose not to answer her letting the silence linger instead. Rias also apparently let it go as she adopted a pensive look and didn't say anything more. Percy didn't know why she was like that lately but he had caught her lost in thoughts a few times.

It was a few minutes later when Susan returned to them and they began making their way back to her house.

Unfortunately, the same routine that took place on the way there followed them on the way back. Percy was beginning to think this woman's paranoia was almost as bad as his uncles with the way she pulled that sword out at the slightest provocation. Why the police weren't called about a crazy samurai waving a sword around town Percy had no idea.

It was with great relief that Percy found himself back at Susan's house with the Samurai thanking both Rias and himself immensely for helping her get her notebook back. He was just about to leave through the front door when he was suddenly brought back to the conversation Rias was having with her.

"Is there anything else we can do?" the King asked.

Susan shuffled on her feet momentarily looking unsure in her armor before she spoke quietly.

"There is one more thing you can help with if it isn't a bother."

Percy begged and pleaded with anyone who would listen that it would somehow be a huge bother to Rias but it seemed Tyche spurned him again. _I really have to do something to get on her good side_ he thought bitterly.

"Of course, it isn't a bother. We'd be glad to help you." Rias said.

Percy groaned. He closed the door to the house and stepped back waiting to hear just what else the girl needed doing.

"There's this guy that I really like" she began shyly.

 _Ugh_ he thought, _now we have to play matchmaker for this girl_. He could imagine the pleased look on Aphrodite's face now as this girl droned on about how the guy she was interested in loved European Knights and history and how cool he was. In fact, he thought he could even hear a distinct laugh that sounded suspiciously like the goddess in question. But that must be his imagination.

However, what Rias next said completely shocked him.

"You want us to make him fall in love with you? Is that right?" She asked nonchalantly.

Now that was unacceptable to Percy. He had seen enough guys and girls be played around by some of the Aphrodite cabin and Drew's whole stupid Rite of Passage that he heard existed to know forcing someone to care for you was a disaster waiting to happen. They had even lost a few campers to Kronos' side in the Titan War because a few cabin 10 campers decided to continue the Rite even after Silena abolished it.

Percy glared fiercely at Rias who ignored him in favor of looking at Susan. The Japanophile couldn't see Percy's glare but fortunately it didn't look like it mattered as she immediately turned down the suggestion.

"Oh, no! I don't want to force him to love me. I want him to love me on his own."

 _Well at least she has some morality. I'll have to have a discussion with Rias when this is done with._

Rias nodded in understanding. Percy too felt understanding. He didn't know how he would have reacted on his sixteenth birthday if Annabeth didn't admit she liked him as well.

 _ **Has she asked about his feelings?**_ A voice suddenly asked in his head. He jumped visibly causing both Rias and Susan to look at him in confusion. Percy tried brushing it off by stretching. A failed attempt.

 _Hello?_ He asked in his head. This was not the presence of Tiamat though it didn't seem like she had a problem with the voice either.

 _ **Ask her Perseus**_ the feminine voice persisted.

He chose to do what the voice suggested though why he was listening to voices in his head he didn't know.

"Umm… have you told him about your feelings?" he asked Susan.

That seemed to be the wrong thing to ask as she began freaking out. Her arms were waving in front of her body and she was shaking her head feverishly in the negative.

"Oh! No, I couldn't do that! I wouldn't even know where to begin!"

 _ **Oooh a stubborn one**_ the voice said teasingly. _**I always enjoy these cases. Such indecision. Such angst. Such turmoil! They always make for juicy stories before they tragically fall apart.**_

There was only one voice that was that invested in love and if he was honest he was kind of ticked off that the Goddess of Love had invaded his mind.

 _Aphrodite?_ _What are you doing in my mind?_ he asked already guessing at the answer and trying to maintain a somewhat respectful tone. She was heavily involved in picking who he married after all.

 _ **Why I'm demanding your help of course. I am placing you in charge of getting this woman together with the man she wants. Consider it a small favor for your beautiful Goddess of Love. If you do this then I'll even lend you a hand with that Asia girl.**_

Percy sputtered in his mind not wanting the innocent Asia to be corrupted by Aphrodite.

 _No! No, you don't need to do that! In fact, please don't! She's a kind girl who doesn't need to be caught up in Greek business._

 _ **Aww**_ the goddess pouted _**but that girl cares for you greatly. She would be a magnificent woman for your first time.**_

Percy cheeks reddened though he hoped neither Rias nor Susan could see. He didn't say anything in the hopes Aphrodite would drop it. It only partially succeeded.

 _ **Fine I will leave Asia alone… for now.**_ she said sighing. _**But you need to make more effort with your gift. I will help to arrange a situation in the coming days that I expect you to take advantage of. In the mean time help Susan with her lover. I expect my chosen philanderer to be adapt in all manners of love, including matchmaking. Good Luck Perseus. Do me proud.**_

And before Percy could even respond back the presence of the goddess in his head vanished.

He sighed quietly. _Guess I'm channeling my inner Aphrodite tonight. Where's Piper when you need her?_

Rias looked like she was about to say something next but Percy cut her off before she began.

"I understand why you would feel that way" he began nervously. He hadn't ever explained about his getting together with Annabeth to anyone before, let alone a complete stranger, but he thought it might help her to relate to something.

"When I was younger I really liked this girl" he continued. Both Susan and Rias' attention were squarely on him drinking his words. "We had gone through a lot together. School projects, Summer camp, even a few fights" _Ok a lot less school projects and a lot more fights against gods, monsters, titans, and giants_ but it wasn't like he could just explain that. So, he pared it down to something more relatable. "The point is for years we had developed a close relationship where we eventually grew to have strong feelings for each other. But I was scared to ever say anything. We even shared a kiss once and neither of us talked about it."

That might have also been because he was stranded with Calypso and when he returned he called Rachel but that seemed extraneous.

"It wasn't until we finally sat down and shared a cake on my birthday that we ended up having that discussion. And you know what? It turned out she felt similar to me. She had been harboring feelings as well and was just afraid to confront them herself. What ended up being a game of avoidance of feelings for two, almost three, years seemed so pointless in the end. If I had just explained how I felt from the beginning then things would have been much better."

Rias was eyeing him with such a look that Percy couldn't help but look away. She looked at him with such compassion and empathy that Percy wondered if the devil didn't have something similar happen to her when she was younger. But then again, as far as he knew, the Great Lady of Kuoh Academy hadn't dated anyone before so it seemed unlikely. In whatever case it might be he felt completely exposed to her and despite his vulnerability she only seemed to have understanding.

Susan, on the other hand, looked really thoughtful on his words. Of course, not having life and death situation is bound to alter some perspective in Percy and Annabeth's case but at the end of the day if he or she had actually just talked about their feelings there was a good chance things would have been different for the better. It could have just been Aphrodite's influence though.

"I don't know" Susan said hesitantly. "It's really scary to share my feelings."

Percy nodded in understanding. "I know. You're putting yourself out there for somebody and you don't know if they'll return your feelings. But you won't know if they do until you try right? And besides, what's the worst that could happen? He says no and then you beat him up with your katana." He added jokingly.

She apparently thought that was a great idea because she nodded in agreement.

"You are right. All I have to do is bring out my swords and slice him into tiny pieces. And I have you kind devils behind me to help."

Percy wanted to argue against it but Rias confirmed that they would stand behind her.

"But I am still afraid to tell him my feelings." Susan said.

Rias nodded. "Perhaps one of us could go in your stead and explain the situation to him?" she suggested halfhearted. Even the redhead could tell that wasn't a good idea.

"Or" Percy added "maybe you could send him a message telling him how you feel and then ask to meet him and see if he returns the feelings?" The demigod had heard that a few of the campers at Camp had done something similar and it worked most of the time. Perhaps the most famous case was with Travis Stoll and Katie Gardner. Nobody actual knows what Travis put in his letter to Katie, not even his brother Connor, but apparently it was a very beautiful letter according to what Katie told Miranda. In hindsight, with the amount of pranks the Stoll brothers pulled on the Demeter cabin it should have been obvious one of the two liked on of the girls but Percy had been too oblivious to notice that.

Susan still seemed unsure but Rias was quick to agree to the idea. "That's an excellent idea Percy! A love letter might just work to get him to fall in love with you." She said beaming at him. It was such a genuine smile Percy couldn't help but smile back at her.

The Samurai still seemed a bit hesitant but in a matter of minutes Rias had convinced her it was the best idea and together the two started composing it. Susan started off somewhat rocky as Percy thought she was stealing a bunch of lines from William Shakespeare but Percy didn't say anything as he had quoted a few songs lyrics to Annabeth once in the hopes she didn't recognize them. Needless to say the demigoddess knew exactly what they were and proceeded to laugh and tease him about it relentless for a full week. Percy was embarrassed and Annabeth knew it but she never mentioned it to anyone outside of the two of them and to make it up to him she too ended up quoting some song lyrics to him the very next weekend.

After it got to the point that Susan had it well in hand that Percy and Rias could leave it to her Rias stepped away from the girl and joined Percy on the ground a few feet away. She was smiling at the girl's fast writing in her effort to compose the perfect love letter.

"You've done really well here Percy." She praised him. "It doesn't matter how she relays the feelings to this guy only that she does. The letter was a great suggestion."

Based on what little Percy knew of the Devil he didn't think she was one to give out praise quite so easily. At least whenever she saw how she interacted with Issei he didn't think so. The others didn't have many problems with their contracts and Rias did congratulate them when they succeeded but this job wasn't over with yet so he didn't exactly think he deserved her compliments. Maybe it was just in an effort to get him on board with the idea of contracts.

"Did you really have somebody you loved back in America?" she asked in a hushed tone. He thought it wasn't entirely because she didn't want Susan to overhear either.

Annabeth was a topic of conversation that he decided he wasn't going to talk about when he first came to Japan. Unfortunately, he already broke that rule tonight by mentioning her in a roundabout way. Though in his defense he didn't actually think Rias would bring it up.

Percy nodded his head in answer.

"What happened between you two?" she continued looking genuinely curious. That didn't really do anything to put his mind at ease however.

"Let's just say it didn't end well" he said with as much force behind it as he could. Enough people in America knew how his breakup went and he didn't need those in Japan finding out. His tone made it clear that was all he was going to say on the topic.

Luckily, it seemed Rias picked up on it and merely nodded her head in understanding before she gently laid her hand on his arm. It was a comforting move but as their two bodies connected a spark of shock flitted from the devil to the demigod leaving Percy's arms tingling where her hand met his forearm. Rias didn't seem to think anything of it but Percy could see the barest of flushed skin on her cheeks.

"You're very brave to be able to tell someone your feelings" she said after a moment. Rias turned her head to look back at Susan while she continued softly. "I wish I had that kind of strength."

"Rias?" he asked concerned.

As if his words drew her back to him, the devil's eyes were pulled to his own. Percy could see hidden strength in them but also a terrible sadness. He knew that look. He had it himself many times over the years. It was the look of someone who couldn't seem to escape their fate no matter what they tried.

"It's hard to say how you feel. It's _so very_ hard" she said looking at him. His was drinking in her presence and it seemed she was doing the same. "It's good to say how you feel but it is one of the hardest things I think you can do."

Percy tried opening his mouth to say something but nothing came out. He didn't even know what he _could_ say. At this very moment, Rias was more vulnerable than Percy had ever seen her and he didn't know how to comfort her.

"Ha-Ha!" the voice of Susan suddenly said breaking the two's connection. Rias quickly reverted to her confident, in control behavior, and looked completely sure of herself. Percy could only look at the heiress in concern but whatever moment they were just sharing had passed.

He probably should have looked away faster but when he finally did he saw Susan standing up with a Japanese longbow in her hands and the letter tied to it. She was standing by the window with the arrow pointed outside ready to be released.

"Woah!" Percy said standing up. Unfortunately, those few extra seconds he took to look at Rias made all the difference as when Percy tried to stop Susan from shooting the arrow she had already released it into the night's sky.

"Holy He…!" he shouted running towards the window to watch the trajectory of the arrow. He saw it sailing into the darkness of night before eventually it disappeared from view. He did hear a distinct metal clang however before silence reigned once more.

"Why the Hades did you shoot an arrow at him? An arrow!?" he asked turning to look at Susan. She seemed pleased with herself despite the mask covering her face.

"So, he knows I appreciate his Japanese culture" she answered smoothly.

"And you couldn't just send a robot or something to carry the letter for you? Isn't that as Japanese as it gets or whatever?" he asked as despair settled in. He really hoped whoever was hit was alright.

"Oh, no!" Susan said completely at ease. She had brought out some oil and began rubbing down her wooden bow as if she hadn't just used it to potentially murder somebody tonight. "The bow and arrow were the heart of the old Japanese warriors. I think he will appreciate it."

Percy looked like he wanted to continue arguing but Susan seemed completely sure in her actions that he doubted anything he said would even register with the girl.

Rias came up beside him then and interlocked their arms. A red circle started forming on the ground beneath them. She was laughing softly at his hysteria which he couldn't understand as Susan _just shot an arrow at someone_.

"Alright Susan, we'll be leaving now. We'll meet you tomorrow after school at the park for your meeting with your knight in shining armor?"

Susan nodded and bowed reverently to Rias and him. "Thank you both for your help tonight. I will see you tomorrow."

The samurai girl then went to put her bow away and as she turned away Percy and Rias disappeared in the flash of red light.

* * *

When Percy opened his eyes, he found himself in the familiar setting of his room. Rias was still locked on his arm but his light was on and he could make out his bed and desk and his growing pile of dirty laundry in the corner. It was definitely his room.

He had thought they might head back to the club room at school but he was glad to be back home as he felt undeniably tired all of a sudden. Percy gently pried himself away from the devil and laid down on his bed looking up at the ceiling. He rubbed his eyes gently before closing them and letting his thoughts drift over the last few hours.

First, Percy finds out he is a Pawn in whatever kind of game these devils play. That definitely pissed him off though Rias did seem sincere about treating her pieces properly and with kindness. And he knew with his skills he wouldn't be just some simple Pawn either. He had power and he could advance with his talents if he wanted. Not that that would matter in a few months anyway with the war going to break out. While he wasn't over it, he didn't completely hate it either. At least now he wouldn't be responsible for making all the decisions anymore. Silver lining as much as it was.

Second, he found out about these contracts his uncle and cousin had gone on about. He was torn about it because while they didn't seem like a bad thing he could easily see where they went off the rails depending on the request. In all seriousness, the contracts didn't seem all that different from some of the things the Olympians did to mortals. That didn't make it right but at least in his head it made it relatable. There were plenty of bad things the Olympians did to mortals that Percy didn't agree with. The same would apply to the devils with their contracts.

Lastly, he was forcibly dragged to one such contract and watched as it went down. The initial request was really simple but he would be lying if he said he wasn't worried when Rias asked if Susan wanted to make whoever the guy she's interested in fall in love with her. It reminded him of Calypso and her curse on Ogygia where she was forced to fall in love with any hero who landed on her shores. That was one of the cruelest things he had ever come across which is why he included her freedom and lifting of the curse as part of his gift from the gods after saving Olympus.

Rias laid down on the bed next to him then drawing him from his thoughts. She didn't say anything but he could feel her pressed up tightly against him.

Her body felt warm and relaxing and Percy could feel the heat radiating off of her. He felt the jiggle of her breasts against his arms as she got into a comfortable position and for a brief moment he entertained the idea of turning to face her. Only for the briefest of moments though. Instead he continued looking at the ceiling letting a comfortable silence envelope them.

A few minutes later Rias tried to say something. "Percy, I need-"

"Would you have done it Rias?" he cut her off though. It was really bothering him now and he couldn't hold back any longer. He continued looking at the ceiling though he could feel the devil's eyes boring into him.

"Done what?" she asked sounding honestly confused.

Percy closed his eyes letting his vision fade to darkness. He heaved a sigh before answering back. "Would you have honestly made that guy fall in love with Susan?"

"No" she said not even a second later. There was so much conviction in her tone Percy couldn't help but look at her confused.

She pursed her lips at his look but continued on. "I wouldn't ever force somebody to fall in love with anyone. There are some things in this world that should be a person's choice. Love is one of them." Her voice trailed off on that last sentence sounding wistful. It was the same tone that Rias had when speaking earlier about telling your feelings. Her eyes had the same distant look that she had throughout the week and Percy couldn't help but wonder why she seemed so lost and reserved.

"Our contracts are meant to be useful to people not take away a person's free will. I mentioned earlier that some devils do use their powers to help corrupt individuals but most new devils don't think that way. It's of the old school devil mindset and is fading out."

Percy nodded in understanding. Change was happening but not fast enough. If those old school devils were truly helping bad people then he could understand his uncle's point of view of devils being the worst beings. But if the newer devils didn't act that way then maybe things could change. He doubted his uncle would truly understand or even want to though. The gods could be stubborn like that after all.

"With that said, will you take some contracts now? We'll finish up tomorrow and I'll start assigning you some yourself." She asked hopefully.

Percy didn't know what to say here. He didn't have a good excuse without explaining he was a demigod after what he saw tonight.

But then again maybe he could tell her. In the few weeks he's known her she has come across as reserved, confident, and loyal to her friends. In the last two weeks in particular she seems to also have proven to be trustworthy as well. At least to her peerage. He figured maybe he could ease into it. After all, if the Olympians find out there would no doubt be severe repercussions. But maybe if he told her then there is a way they could avoid a war altogether. She didn't need to know about that detail yet but in time maybe.

"I can't" he said. She looked frustrated and crestfallen and Percy was quick to explain himself. "It's not what you think though." He tried reassuring her. "After tonight you've shown me that maybe it's not quite what I thought it would be. But I can't still. If I did my uncle would no doubt kill me. If he even finds out about tonight then he probably will anyway."

"Your uncle?" she asked as if he just confirmed something for her.

"Yes" Percy answered simply. "My uncle warned me about taking any contracts. He didn't want me corrupting any mortals and threatened to kill me if I did."

Rias seemed shocked by this as if the idea of killing family was completely foreign to her. Percy let out a small laugh at her incredulous look.

"My family is… well they're complicated to say the least" he said diplomatically. "They've tried to kill each for a long, long time. It's practically in their blood" he joked to himself. And it was true. The Titans had killed the Primordials, or at least put them to sleep, and in turn the Olympians killed the Titans. Plus, they did just have two civil wars within the past two years.

"Percy" Rias asked hesitantly after he finished speaking. He could practically see the gears turning in her head and realized she more than likely made the connection. He was going to wait for her to ask it though. At least that way if the Olympians find it he could genuinely say that she figured it out on her own.

"Are you–" she began to ask only to be interrupted.

"Percy!" the high-pitched voice of Asia said excitedly as the door to his room swung open. The Bishop stood in the doorway smiling widely at Percy and radiating joy. demigod could see how happy Asia was and she seemed eager to talk to him.

At least she was until she saw Rias laying on the bed next to him. Asia looked back and forth between Percy and Rias as if trying to read the somewhat compromising scene and her smile slowly faded into a look of confusion.

"President?" Asia asked uncertainly. Her eyes furrowed into a look that Percy couldn't identify.

Rias then slowly got up from the bed and stretched her arms over her head. This caused her breasts to gently bulge from her chest and they shook back and forth for a quick second before settling into their normal position. Percy couldn't help but look on in admiration before he quickly composed himself. Rias gave Asia a wide smile not realizing what she just did and looked at her Bishop with genuine happiness.

"Asia" Rias said, "I'm glad you're here. Did the contract with Koneko go well?"

Asia looked at Rias again in confusion before settling on the same happy look she entered the room with. Whatever she thought just happened she was letting go apparently.

"It went great!" Asia said enthusiastically. "I was nervous when we first got there but we ended up helping out this old man who needed help moving some boxes. He had us bending down a lot to move the stuff and watched us closely but he seemed really pleased with the work we did."

 _Oh, Asia_ Percy thought feeling a small spark of anger at the request. The former nun was too naïve to figure out what happened but Percy could tell. Rias could too if the raised eyebrow was anything to go by.

"Really now?" Rias asked in seriousness.

"Oh, yes. He said we were a big help and everything and he might want to contract us again to do it." Asia continued innocently.

"Hmm…" Rias said but didn't elaborate. Instead she smiled at Asia. "That's wonderful then. It sounds like you and Koneko did a great job. I'll get the details from Koneko in the morning."

Asia nodded as if that made sense. "How about you guys? Did the contract go well?" she asked in curiosity.

Rias gave Percy a teasing smile before pulling Asia further into the room and gently pushing the girl down on the now vacant spot next to Percy on his bed. "Why doesn't Percy tell you all the details? I'm sure he's eager to share how his contract went."

Asia looked as giddy as a schoolgirl at the suggestion and turned to look at Percy with such open and honest eyes he couldn't find it in him to say no. Asia's innocent eyes but the phrase puppy dog eyes to shame.

Percy heaved a heavy sigh before softly smiling back at Asia and nodded causing the girl in question to giggle softly and lean into his sides.

Asia didn't feel the same as Rias pressed into his side but he would be lying if he said it didn't feel good either.

When Percy looked at Rias he saw a moment of pain flash on her face before her confident, teasing mask was back up.

"Rias?" Percy asked questioningly.

Rias gave him a small smile before forming a red circle under her and getting ready to teleport. "We'll talk more about your family later?" was all she said. It wasn't really a question but Percy nodded anyway.

With one last sad smile Rias vanished in her magic leaving Percy snuggled up next to Asia. He turned to tell the eager new devil all about the contract and began his tale.

* * *

The next day after school found Percy and Rias standing behind Susan while the samurai clad girl paced back and forth nervously. Percy didn't blame her as he remembered the numerous times he wanted to tell Annabeth something only to chicken out at the last minute due to nerves.

"Sit down Susan" Percy said gently and pointed at the chair they set up when they first arrived. It had only been about five minutes since they arrived as they showed up a few minutes early at the appointed meeting spot.

Susan looked down at the chair as if it was the most confusing piece of furniture she'd ever seen before she settled down into it. Percy sighed in relief as her constant pacing was working up his ADHD. Even now that she was seated he couldn't help but pull out Riptide and gently drum it against his thigh.

"It looks like he's here" the mature voice of Rias said aloud.

Percy strained a moment to see where this guy was only to smack his head in realization. When Susan had said that he enjoyed European history and knights in particular Percy had assumed that he was just a history buff like a normal person. Instead, when this guy approached, Percy could see he was fully decked out in shiny medieval knight armor complete with a sword strapped to his side. As the guy got closer Percy could see Susan's arrow sticking up from the top of his head.

"Well you're no Eros but at least you shot him in his big head" Percy joked only to be hit in the stomach but Rias.

Susan was shaking back and forth in her seat appearing completely uncomfortable. "I have really good aim and I thought this was the best way to get his attention."

"I still think the robot idea would have worked" Percy struggled to say as he regained his breath from Rias' hit.

Nobody spoke as the knight was now only a few yards away and coming to a stop. He first looked at Rias and Percy before finally turning his attention completely on Susan. His helmet and visor completely prevented Percy from seeing his face but it did make him look pissed off and the lingering silence seemed a bad omen.

Susan gently rose from her chair with somewhat wobbly legs and strode a few steps forward so it seemed like a Mexican Standoff between her and the knight. Rias gently tugged on Percy's arm pulling them away from the mounting confrontation between the two.

"My lady" the man said in a surprisingly deep voice. "I have perused your letter and I am shot through the heart. Not the head." He opened his arms wide to indicate that there was no hostility between the two.

Susan gasped like a woman overcome with joy and clapped her hands together in happiness. Even Percy couldn't help but crack a smile at that. An incredulous smile but a smile nonetheless.

"You have truly caught me off guard by this my lady and I am overwhelmed by it. Your letter was eloquent and passionate and I find myself at the mercy of similar feelings." The way this knight spoke was way too formal for Percy but Susan seemed to be eating the words right up.

"I am the one completely overwhelmed my Houri. You were all I could think of, my Samurai."

"If you'll have me" Houri said, "I'd be honored to be your Knight in Shining Armor." He closed the distance between the two and grabbed hold of Susan's outstretched hands before pulling her into an embrace. Susan seemed to collapse into his arms agreeing to be his… something. He didn't actually hear that last word so he just guessed it to be his cosplaying samurai/lady in waiting/girlfriend.

The smile that blossomed on Rias face at the scene was enough to whip up a hurricane in any man and Percy found himself smiling along with her. She reached down to intertwine their arms again causing that same spark as before to ignite between them. Percy laughed joyously at both the scene and Rias.

 _If this is what helping people fall in love is like,_ he thought, _I can understand why Piper and Aphrodite get such joy in it_. He definitely didn't want to make a habit of it though.

"Come on" Rias said quietly as Susan and Houri were caught up in their moment of budding romance. She formed a magic circle behind her and pulled Percy into it before they disappeared away from the new lovers.

* * *

When they arrived at their destination Percy saw it was to a surprisingly empty Club room. He knew the others were still at school somewhere and just assumed they would gather in the club room but he couldn't find anyone else there. Rias gently pulled away from him then with that same satisfied smile on her face. Percy noticed that he still had his as well.

The day was growing old by this point as Apollo's Sun Chariot was slowly setting on Kuoh Town. The last shades of sunlight still shone brightly through the window indicating there was probably another hour of daylight left. When the light hit Rias the deep crimson color of her hair reflected off of it giving it an ephemeral sheen and showing off how beautiful it was.

Neither said anything as Percy took in the smiling Rias and Rias stared outside with a smile all her own. Then she broke the quietness.

"So, what do you think?" she asked at last.

"Huh?" Percy asked back coming from his reverie.

"About being together with the person you love more than anything in the world."

That definitely broke Percy's smile. He might have had that once but that chance was gone now. Annabeth saw to it and on top of that he couldn't put himself at the mercy of those feelings she stirred up inside him. Not when he was going to be married to someone once his father and Aphrodite found the right person. He would try to make it work and hope that he would love this new woman they found, Aphrodite did promise him he'd meet someone he would love over here, but she wouldn't be Annabeth and all the history they shared. He remembered hearing once that arranged marriages are often really successful so he had hope in time he'd fall in love with whoever was chosen.

"If you can find the person who you love more than anything…" he began only to trail off. Annabeth's actions were still fresh in his mind even after a few months.

"Percy?" Rias asked when he didn't continue. She had a look of concern on her face that Percy was growing to enjoy looking at. The only one who had ever truly looked at him with that kind of concern was his mother. Even Annabeth could be emotionally distant most of the time. A trait she received from her mother, the ever-stoic Athena, no doubt.

"Love is really hard to understand" he said at last. "It can be the best feeling in the world. And it can absolutely crush you the next. If you ever meet somebody who you love that much… just make sure you're really certain Rias. Love can be as cruel as it can be kind."

Percy didn't say anything more after that. He didn't want to remember the pain Annabeth caused him. But that also meant trying to block out the good times they had together as well.

"Sounds like you speak from experience." Rias said quietly. She had a look on her face that Percy couldn't quite identify. It seemed torn between shame and sadness and something else.

Percy just nodded but didn't elaborate. He shut down any further thinking along those lines.

"Is it the girl you left behind in America?" Rias tried pressing.

Percy ignored her. Instead he chose to look out the open window watching as the leaves on the trees blew with the gentle breeze outside.

"I think it sounds very nice" she said at least when she realized Percy wasn't answering anymore. Her tone indicated a longing though Percy didn't know for what.

"It can be" Percy said quietly after a moment. Rias raised her eyebrow at him clearly not expecting him to say anything else. "But you should ignore me. What do I know anyway" he laughed trying to play it off. "We're seventeen. It's not like we're engaged to be married in the next few months am I right?" He hoped joking about it would make the realization of it seem alright.

He closed his eyes to let out a soft laugh and when he opened he saw Rias eye with something that looked like shock. That caused him to laugh just a bit harder.

Just as Rias was about to say something though the doors to the Club room opened and the rest of the peerage strolled in with their usual attitudes. Asia led the charge into the room with her bubbly demeanor breaking another moment that Percy seemed to be sharing with the devil.

"Hey there Percy! Hey President. I didn't know you guys were going to be here. Did you finish the contract?" She practically skipped into the room to stand next to Percy looking up at him with admiration and happiness.

"Sup everyone!" Kiba said strolling in with his graceful stride. He took a seat on the couch nearest to Percy and Asia looking at him and Rias.

Issei walked in next looking back and forth between Rias and him warily before settling on the nearest couch and smiling at everyone.

Akeno was right behind him with her long black hair tied up in her standard bun and walked over to stand next to Rias smiling at Percy in her teasing way. "Hey good looking" she said directing her words at Percy. "Why the long face? Somebody give you a kick in the balls?" Her tone was good-natured but Percy felt an involuntary shiver go down his spine at the imaginary pain of something like that happening. Both Kiba and Issei felt the same sensation as well if the shaking they both did was anything to go by.

Last to enter was little Koneko who strode in with her typical uncaring attitude. She looked around the room a minute before settling on the couch next to Issei and turning directly away from him and pulling out a piece of chocolate.

Percy eyed everyone a minute before looking back at Rias and seeing that she had something to discuss with them. He grabbed Asia's arm and pulled her on the couch next to Kiba before settling himself at the end and turning to look at the King.

He could tell she still wanted to talk with him, probably about their conversation from last night, but that would have to wait just a bit longer. After a moment she turned away from Percy and looked at everyone and began speaking instead.

"Things are going really well so far." She said. "Percy and Asia and Issei" she said directing her attention on them in particular. "You have all done well with the tasks you've been assigned so far. I think it's time to move you guys up a bit in the world." She added smiling.

"No more flyer duty?" Issei asked with unabashed hope in his voice. Percy and Asia had only handed out flyers this past week or so and he could understand the hope in his voice. Issei had been doing it for longer than either of them so he didn't blame him for wanting to be done with it.

Rias gave Issei a big smile before nodding.

"Yes I think you're ready to finally move on from flyer duty."

"If we don't hand out flyers than how do we get contracts" Asia asked timidly from beside Percy. He could feel her grip his hand slightly as if drawing strength from him so he gave her a gentle squeeze back. It didn't seem that Rias could see though Akeno apparently could as she looked down at the motion and raised an eyebrow at him of her own before breaking down into a fit of giggles.

"We still have out flyers. Or rather our familiars do." Rias said patiently.

"Familiars?" Issei asked uncertainly.

Rias nodded before she stretched out her hand and a weird bat like ball suddenly appeared in it. The bat had blue eyes that seemed to match Rias' and a smile on its face with one fang overlapping its lips.

"This is my familiar. I think you're acquainted with her Issei" she continued.

Suddenly, the familiar that was flying around transformed into a busty woman with a short red dress and puffy black shoulder pads designed into it. A bright orange bow tied to her chest brought attention to her large chest that seemed to show off a good amount of cleavage. She had black hair that was unwieldy and was strewn everywhere though that only made her more attractive rather than take away from her good looks.

"Hey I know her. She handed me that flyer that summoned you after… Raynare" Issei said as if realizing how bad that night was for everyone.

"And I got one too, of course" Akeno quickly jumped in as if she realized how dangerous the topic was. She pointed her finger on the ground and a double square appeared before a bright light flashed and a strange imp like creature appeared.

"Is that an imp?" Percy asked looking at it in confusion.

Akeno shook her head but Koneko spoke up before she said anything.

"This is Shiro" she said holding onto a kitten with a bell collar. The kitten meowed softly and Asia squealed in joy before going over to Koneko and looking at it.

"Mine's badass too" Kiba said also pointing on the ground. The same puff of smoke that Rias' familiar appeared from began coming from Kiba but Issei turned away.

"I don't care about you're Tiny Dancer" he said dismissively.

"Why do you got to hate man?" Kiba said jokingly before the smoke disappeared. Percy could tell he was joking and didn't really care that much about it.

Still Issei was a dick about it. Another reason to not like him. He couldn't wait till Ddraig finally awoke and him and Tiamat could confront them.

"I'd love to see it Kiba" Percy said sounding honest. He hoped it made up for Issei's rudeness.

Kiba smiled wide at that and was about to summon his familiar when a knock came from the door. They each turned to look at it before eyeing one another. As Percy went to open it, it instead was opened by a group of students striding in.

Leading them was none other than the student body president herself, Souna Shitori. Percy gulped when looking at the glasses wearing serious woman. Behind her strode the rest of the class cabinet. It was never a good sign when he came across people with people at school.

Souna eyed him warily for a moment but didn't say anything. That was never a good sign when Percy was concerned.

"Rias" Souna said after turning away from him. He felt a slight feeling of relief overcome him though he tried not to show it. He didn't vote for her in the last election after all.

"Hello Souna" Rias said with familiarity. "It's good to see you again. How can I help you?"

"I just thought it was time we introduced ourselves to the newest members. We do share the same school after all."

Her words crashed over Percy like a wave over rocks. He hadn't picked up anything unusual in his encounters with Souna though that was mainly just a brief glimpse in the hallways. Rias was usually nearby anyone throwing off his monster yelling instincts. But if what she was implying is true…

"Wait what?" Issei said saving him from voicing the question himself.

Rias chuckled softly at him before speaking. "Issei, Asia, Percy, let me introduce you to Souna Shitori. Or as we in the devil world know her, Sona Sitri. She's a devil and this is her peerage."

Percy groaned quietly. This just made things a lot more complicated for him.

Instead, he stuck his hand out to the nearest guy and introduced himself.

"Name's Percy Jackson. It's nice to meet you"


	19. Chapter 16: Getting a Little Familiar

Chapter 16: Getting a Little Familiar

Everything was tense in the room of the Occult Research Club as Percy had his hand out to shake the hand of the guy nearest him. He stood just a few inches under Percy but was definitely taller than Issei. His light brown hair was messed up and disheveled, much the way Percy's often looked, though his was longer. He gave Percy a questioning look after seeing the way that Sona seemed to eye Percy with wariness.

When it became clear none of the devils that belonged to Sona's peerage were going to shake his hand he let his fall to his side.

"Well for politicians I have to say you guys leave much to be desired. I mean, come on! Not even a polite nod? I definitely won't be voting for you guys again in the next election."

Behind him Akeno let out a small giggle.

"That won't really matter Percy" the black-haired devil said. "They rig the entire vote so Sona and her peerage always win."

Percy wasn't really surprised by that. They were devils after all.

"I'm still voting for your opponents" he said stubbornly.

Rias shook her head and let out a small sigh at that but she had a little smile on her face all the same. Percy stepped back next to Kiba and Asia waiting to see how the rest of the interaction would play out. If Sona's reaction was anything to go by it was best he kept some distance between them.

"Rias" the voice of the black-haired woman named Sona said looking at the redhead "this is Genshirou Saji, my Pawn." She pointed to the man Percy tried introducing himself too.

"And these are my newest members. Asia Argento, my Bishop; Issei Hyoudou, my Pawn; and lastly my other Pawn -"

"Perseus Jackson" Sona cut off Rias. Based on the fact she was a high-class devil it didn't seem like Sona's style to interrupt a fellow high-class devil but for whatever reason Percy seemed to be the exception. Again.

Rias didn't look annoyed at the interruption but she did flit her eyes between Percy and Sona questioningly a few times. If anything, she seemed annoyed that Sona apparently new something about Percy that she didn't.

"Tsubaki" Sona said while holding her hand out to the side. From out of nowhere the devil to the left of Sona, another black-haired devil who had blue-framed glasses and heterochromic violet and brown eyes, pulled out a large manila folder. On the outside was paperclipped the recent school picture Percy had taken when he registered for classes. The inside was overflowing with all kinds of different colored papers causing the folder to bulge.

Percy gulped nervously already guessing what was inside.

"Perseus Jackson" Sona said opening the folder and shuffling through some of the papers. "Let's see here, born August 18th, 1993 to one Sally Jackson and… somebody" she said raising an eyebrow at that. The violet eyed devil rifled through a few more sheets licking her fingers as she did to separate the pages. "Was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at age six while in preschool"

Percy felt himself flush at having his school records read aloud like this. Rias had told him she knew his past records but the rest of them didn't. He dreaded what was coming next.

"Displays numerous signs of delusions including making up extreme scenarios such as being stalked by a one-eyed man, being chased by large, rabid, black dogs, and hearing voices discussing what he will taste like. Deemed as cries for attention from his mother to compensate for his absentee father by school counselors."

Sona again eyed him warily and it seemed like the rest of her peerage shared her sentiment as if they too were believing he was crazy.

"A very poor student whose highest grade to date is a B, though some of that can be explained with the above mentioned disabilities, and has a penchant for school destruction. The list of destruction includes blowing up a school bus with a cannon," everyone eyed him oddly at that one, "blowing up a gym and attached locker room by an explosion and blowing up a school music hall with a firebomb."

"A cannon?" Issei muttered quietly, though everyone could hear.

By now Percy's face had gone a deep red in embarrassment. He chose not to look to his sides and see the rest of the reactions from Rias' peerage but he could certainly feel the stares everyone was giving him.

"Has been expelled from six different schools, uninvited to attend three others for the following year, and that's not to mention that your second step-father, one Paul Blofis, had to practically beg the administration of your last school to let you rejoin it after mysteriously vanishing and missing the entire spring semester. Plus, it seems you have been subject to a national manhunt for blowing up a bus, destroying a National Monument, and suspected vandalism of an abandoned waterpark though those incidents were later determined to have been self-defense."

Sona finished reading his records and closed the folder blocking out Percy's humiliating past. He felt hot all of a sudden as everyone's attention was squarely on him. Behind the heiress of Sitri her peerage stood dumbfounded at him with jaws wide open. Percy turned his head to avoid the looks of the visiting devils and saw Asia stare at him with shock herself. If even innocent Asia was awestruck by him then that was a very bad sign.

Percy started backing up away from the others when he felt the large chest of somebody step into his retreating form. It wasn't who he expected though.

As Percy turned to look at who halted his backways progress he saw the deep violet eyes of Akeno look at him with surprising compassion. She gave Percy her trademark teasing smile and somehow in that one moment Percy felt at ease again. Akeno was very good at riling him up with her playful comments and her flirtatious touching but it also appeared those same actions could help calm him down too. He felt grateful right then that it was his Queen rather than anyone else who comforted him.

Akeno drew Percy into a big hug and positioned her mouth next to his ears. Her next comment was classic Akeno.

"Seems I'm not the only one who likes to get off on destruction around here. Maybe next time we can blow up some buildings together." She gave a little "te-he-he" as she pulled away and winked at him conspiratorially. Percy blushed again but this time from the suggestion rather than his past.

"Sona" the voice of Rias suddenly said sternly. The redhead gave her fellow black-haired high-class devil a surprised look before it became one of offense. "What is the meaning of this? You know it's considered bad form to get involved in the affairs of other households. Why would you reveal all this information?"

She gave Percy an understanding look before turning to glare back at Sona. Percy didn't really comprehend the whole "bad form" idea but he knew enough to guess that what Sona just did would be considered extremely rude. And Percy definitely thought it was considering that it was his school records being read aloud and they were supposed to be sealed.

Sona looked somewhat apologetic for her words but didn't appear to back down from anything.

"I am sorry Rias but considering Percy's past I need to know what happened then and to make sure nothing like that will happen here. It is my job to ensure the safety of this school and its inhabitants. You knew this conversation was going to happen when Percy first enrolled here. He has too many oddities in his past." The entire time she was defending herself she did seem remorseful to Percy. But even if she wouldn't normally do this didn't mean he would forget this embarrassment either. Hubris wasn't his fatal flaw but he still had some pride after all.

"That did not mean you could ambush us all like this and demand answers" Rias responded heatedly. Percy felt very glad right then that it was Rias who was his King rather than somebody else. Ever since he officially joined the peerage her defense of him was steadfast and reinforced his hope that she was telling the truth about how she cared about everyone in her Peerage.

"I thought it best that we get it out in the open." Sona replied shrugging her shoulders as if his past was no big deal. It might not have been to her but it wasn't her past that was being exposed to everyone so carelessly.

Percy growled softly.

"I don't plan on causing problems for the school. I promise" he said to appease her.

It didn't seem to work.

"Hmm… and how about the past incidents? Why did you make claims that you were being stalked by a one-eyed man? Were they truly just cries for attention for your mother?" Sona persisted. Her eyes narrowed on him demanding he give her answers.

He glared at her right back. If he hadn't told Rias yet about he heritage he was damn sure he wasn't going to reveal it to Sona.

"That-" Percy began only to be cut off.

"I think that's enough Sona. Percy has said he won't make issues for you in the school and if that isn't good enough then I also vouch for him. He's my Pawn and my responsibility." Rias said saving him from making a scathing remark. Things definitely did not start off on the right foot between him and the Sitri Devil.

For a moment it seemed like the rigid devil was going to push for more answers but another look from Rias put an end to that notion. The room was thick with tension that seemed ready to erupt any moment. What should have been an exciting day for getting Familiars was quickly becoming hostile.

So, leave it to Issei to try and make things better. Percy rolled his eyes when his Pawn counterpart opened his mouth.

"Looks like we're all tripletsies here huh" the pervert said pulling Percy and Saji into a shoulder hug. With Issei being the shortest and in the middle both Percy and Saji were forced to bend slightly so the guy could get his arms around their shoulders rather than under their armpits. It was awkward to say the least.

Saji yanked himself away as he moved to stand next to Sona again. His face adopted an arrogant smirk as he looked at both Issei and Percy condescendingly.

"As if, douchebag." He said addressing Issei. "You keep holding tight to your little destroyer next to you. Maybe he can protect you from me. I took up four whole Pawn pieces bro." He raised his hand to show off four fingers before smiling smugly again.

"What! But I only took up three pieces!" roared Issei. He brought his arm away from Percy and balled it into a fist looking angry at the sandy haired man. Percy took that opportunity to step away from Issei and closer to Akeno while rubbing clean off his shoulders from Issei's germs. He had no idea where Issei's hand had been up to and frankly he didn't want to even imagine where they might have been either.

"Guess that just means my King likes me more than you" Saji taunted the Dragon Emperor.

"That's enough Saji" Sona said smoothly next to her Pawn. There wasn't any heat in her words but from any who were listening it was obvious she wouldn't accept any kind of sass right then.

Percy felt a slight rumbling to defend Issei but quickly squashed it for a multitude of reasons. First, Issei was going to have to learn to defend himself. Percy's already saved his life once before. If the kid wanted to keep spewing crap out of his mouth then he was going to have to be willing to roll with the punches that would surely come. Second, Percy still didn't like Issei. Blame it on Tiamat or their prior experiences but Issei hadn't done anything to endear himself to Percy so unless Rias specifically asked him to help him he wasn't going to be caught dead jumping to his defense.

And that included mentoring the kid. As far as Percy was concerned, Issei was on his own.

"My apologies Rias" Sona continued. "He's young and still learning. I hope you'll forgive his playful remarks. The new ones don't always appreciate the subtleties of proper civil discourse." The Sitri devil gave a smile at the end to show her genuineness.

"Is she really one to be talking about civil discourse" Percy mumbled quietly to Akeno. His Queen giggled to herself and it seemed Rias heard as well because she formed a small smile as well.

"It is to be expected with the new devils" Rias said in agreement with Sona. She eyed her whole peerage taking everyone in. "In any event, I think it's time we were going guys; we want to make sure you're ready for tomorrow night."

Sona and her peerage started to back towards the door as Rias was speaking but stopped in their footsteps when they heard about tomorrow night. She turned around to face Rias before gently pushing her glasses up to fit more firmly on her face.

"Tomorrow night you say? Do you have something planned for then Rias?" Sona asked as if she knew something. Percy just looked at the Devil and her peerage wondering why what Rias and everyone did was so important to her.

Fortunately, he was answered rather quickly.

"I planned on taking Issei, Asia, and Percy here to get their Familiars then. It's the Full Moon so it's the only time for the next few weeks."

Sona raised an eyebrow at that.

"I see. I had planned to do the same thing with Saji here."

Now Sona's reaction made sense to Percy. If they could only get Familiars once a month on the Full Moon then either everyone had to go together - which Percy didn't think was a good idea considering the hostility Sona's Peerage apparently had towards him and Saji's obvious dislike of Issei - or somebody would have to wait a full month before going and getting one. Rias too noted the dilemma as she had a contemplative look to her face.

"Well if that's the case" Rias began, "why don't we have a friendly contest to sort everything out."

That statement shocked Sona. From the short time Percy had seen her she seemed in control of her emotions and facial expressions. But Rias' suggestion to have a contest genuinely caught her off-guard as her eyes widened visibly and her mouth fell open slightly.

"A contest?" Sona asked with skepticism.

Rias smiled to her. "Yes, a contest. Whoever wins gets to make their request to the Familiar Master first."

It was quiet for a moment as everyone was absorbing the words. Percy himself looked on in interest but his attention peaked when Sona mentioned the kind of contest.

"You surely aren't referring to a Rating Game. Correct?"

Percy looked back and forth between Sona and Rias now eager to participate. He remembered that this was one of the better ways for Devils to be promoted in society.

"I'm down for one" Percy said drawing everyone's attention to him. He had a smile back on his face now at the prospect of getting involved in a game. Plus, it seemed like the Rating Games were somewhat similar to Capture the Flag in that Percy could fight with somebody. He hadn't had a monster attack since he went ballistic at the abandoned church so he was getting antsy to spar with somebody.

Sona frowned at him, probably thinking about his habit of destroying things, but Rias gave him an appraising smile before shaking her head in the negative.

 _Damn_ Percy thought feeling honestly letdown after the prospect of a real Devil game was right there for him.

His redheaded King laughed lightly before waving her hands in obvious dismissal of the idea.

"Oh no." she said. "We'd never get permission to do something like that. No, I was thinking of something a little more school oriented."

Sona's shock from before melted into realization and she smiled back at Rias.

"Ah. Of course, you're right. Besides I don't think now is the time you want to be drawing attention to yourself."

Rias' easygoing, cordial attitude she adopted after listening about Percy was quickly reverted back to the angry, heated glare she had while defending him.

"Don't go there Sona" she said icily. Next to Percy, he heard Akeno let out a small gasp as whatever hidden message was being discussed and subsequently being shut down by Rias. Percy's curiosity bloomed as he tried to think of all the different scenarios why Rias wouldn't want to draw attention to herself. Unfortunately, the most prominent that came to mind was Percy himself and his demigod nature. They still hadn't discussed it fully but he guessed that if she didn't confront him about it later tonight than he doubted he'd get through tomorrow without it being brought up.

"Mhmm" Sona said quietly realizing the seriousness of Rias. Unlike before where the Sitri Devil might have been tempted to push Percy for more answers, he saw her realize she overstepped a major boundary in their relationship and meekly drop the subject.

"So, the ole-fashioned way then? Tomorrow after school work for you?" Rias asked in confirmation after a moment's silence. Sona nodded her agreement before ushering herself and her peerage out the door and into the night.

Percy looked around at the others and saw them deep in thought about the encounter. Koneko gave him a curious look with a raised eyebrow, Kiba tried to give a polite smile, Akeno was back to snuggling up against his arms, Issei just looked at the door as if he couldn't believe the audacity of Saji, while little Asia looked at Percy with something akin to sadness. It wasn't pity but it was certainly a cousin to the emotion. Percy turned away not wanting to get into the details of what Sona said.

"What exactly is the ole-fashioned way?" Percy asked when it became clear nobody else was going to say anything. He honestly had no idea what ole-fashioned was to devils. Fights to the death? Somebody who can corrupt more mortals? He didn't think it was either of those as they sounded similar to the contracts and rating game but he just couldn't say for sure.

As if Percy's voice was all that was needed to jump-start the crimson haired woman he saw Rias jump slightly who was coming out of deep thought. Her reaction only made Percy more curious as to what held her so captivated recently.

When Rias turned around to look at him he caught a faraway look in her eyes momentarily before it was back to her confident gaze. If Percy didn't have demigod reflexes then he probably would have missed the look but there were a few perks to being a son of a god. In addition to his sweet water powers of course.

"Why we're going to settle it just like any other high schooler. Nothing says competitive spirit in school than some friendly sports."

Percy smiled slightly at the prospect of playing sports again though it grew wider when he heard Issei let out a soft groan at the idea.

* * *

On second thought, Percy had no idea what he signed up for when he thought putting Devils into high school sports was a good idea.

The sun was shining the next day and Percy was situated around the tennis courts like many of his fellow students watching the craziness that was competitive Devil heiresses. He was feeling very thankful that everyone was outside the caged fences protecting the courts as the tennis ball flying back and forth between Rias and Akeno and Sona and Tsubaki put the skills of professional players to shame.

Percy was standing next to both Koneko and Kiba watching the determined face of Rias glare good-naturedly towards Sona. She was wearing a pink one-piece suit that fell down to her thighs in a flowing puff. Akeno stood behind her in a matching gold skirt and pale-yellow top that complemented her typical orange bow very nicely. Both were bent in ready positions to receive the oncoming serve from Sona and Tsubaki.

"They look really excited" Kiba noted calmly. Koneko nodded her head and pulled out a piece of chocolate to nibble on during the match.

Percy turned to look at his fellow devil. "Do they do these kinds of things often?" he asked unsure. The crowd seemed way too big for this to be a routine affair but then again, he was still new to the school so he couldn't be sure.

Kiba shook his head. "Rias can definitely be competitive at times but I haven't seen them do something like this before. Usually we have fun student festival events where we try to outdo one another."

Percy nodded his head and looked across the court to take in Sona and Tsubaki.

Just as determined as Rias looked, Sona appeared equally so. Her glasses were secured tightly to her head and the purple skirt she wore matched the frames on her lenses. Her black hair had a few bobby pins tying the loose strands out of her face. Behind her Tsubaki choose a similar get-up as her master only with a teal color skirt to match her teal frames.

Not too far from where Percy stood with Kiba and Koneko he could hear the voices of Issei with his perverted friends looking at the devils with unabashed lust. Motohama had his glasses pressed tightly against the cages as if he was trying to take a picture of the women for later. Matsuda wasn't any better as he was pressed up against the cages perversely with his lower extremities practically trying to rip the fence down.

"Come on Rias!" the voice of Issei shouted out loud. He balled his fist up pumping it into the air wildly.

On the other side of the fences Percy saw the body of Saji standing on some kind of platform he brought with him. He was waving a flag with a picture of Sona's unsmiling face on it and shouting words of encouragement of his own.

"Let's go Sona! Show them why they shouldn't mess with us!"

Then as an afterthought he also added "Suck a dick Issei!"

Percy let out a soft chuckle as Issei started shouting right back at Saji. It was easy to wind the guy up apparently. Percy thought he'd have some fun taunting the guy with Tiamat when Ddraig finally appeared.

As the voices of the rest of the students quieted down to watch the match Percy saw the game begin between the two Kings and Queens. Percy had seen and played tennis a few times himself at camp as it wasn't difficult to convert the volleyball courts to a tennis court but watching these devils was like nothing else.

Sona began with a hard serve directly right to Akeno who responded with a loud yell of her own. The yell was loud and shrieking but it was worth it as the force behind the ball returned back across the court with added heat. Tsubaki made a lunging attempt at it with her racket only to barely make contact with it and send it flying out of play.

Both Akeno and Rias jumped up excitedly in joy for taking the first points of the match and every guy watching was mesmerized by the bouncing balls. And Percy wasn't referring to the tennis balls either.

Sona said something quietly to Tsubaki and they prepared themselves to receive the oncoming serve from Rias. The Sitri devils looked pissed off at the previous play but when Rias wound up for the next serve they put calm faces back on and swung their rackets as strong as they could.

And that's how the beginning of the match went. Completely normal as was agreed upon. There were seemingly factions being formed by the spectators as every time one of the girls did any kind of action with the ball the onlookers screamed and shouted their names with passion.

"Hey Percy, Kiba. Hey Koneko" the demure voice of Asia suddenly spoke up from the side. She was dressed up like the other girls in her school uniform but when she approached Percy she wasn't alone.

Standing next to Percy's new housemate was Kiriyuu, the same brunette that Percy had actively been trying to avoid ever since that awkward encounter with the kendo girls at lunch. Her hair was tied in their usual pig tails though her bangs did appear slightly shorter than before as they didn't cover her glasses entirely anymore. She gave Percy a small smirk before giving Asia a knowing look.

"You've been holding out on me Asia" Kiriyuu teased the former nun. "You didn't say that Percy was the guy you were living with. You are one lucky girl" she said licking her lips sensuously before eyeing Percy with smoky eyes.

Asia, thankfully the ever-oblivious girl that she was, didn't pick up on the hidden mean in her friend's words.

"I know" she said happily. "Sally and Paul and Percy have been amazing and I'm so grateful. Percy here even helps me with my homework sometimes at night since he's apparently taken the class before."

Kiriyuu gave Asia a nod before smirking again at the demigod.

"Well it's always nice to know that you are in _such good hands_ " she added with innuendo.

Percy coughed loudly drawing everyone's attention before somebody said something even more obvious and Asia would figure out what was meant.

"Asia, you didn't say that your new friend was Kiriyuu" he stated with a raised eyebrow. He tried to make it seem a question even if it wasn't.

Asia nodded her head happily before responding. "Oh, Kiriyuu has been so helpful Percy. I've met a lot of people thanks to her and now I know just what to do to help out more around the house! Kiriyuu has given me such brilliant ideas."

Percy looked at Kiriyuu wide-eyed to which the mortal girl smirked triumphantly at him but before he could say anything else his attention was drawn back to the court by Koneko.

"Umm… Is it just me or is this getting a bit out of control" the tiny Rook said aloud.

Percy looked down to Koneko and followed her eyes to the tennis courts where things were indeed getting out of control.

"Take this!" shouted Rias as she did a pirouette spin after making contact with the tennis ball. The ball flew across the court right towards Sona's face only for the opposing devil to bring her racket up just in time barely avoiding the strike. It fell harmlessly to the ground though Percy thought he saw Sona get a strange glint in her eyes.

"I see how it is" Sona said. "Well then, let's see how you handle a special attack SONA SITRI STYLE!" As the ball was thrown in the air from Sona's serve the devil brought her racket down on it with such force that Percy swore the wind blew in the other direction momentarily.

As Percy watched the ball fly across the court he had to blink his eyes a few times to make sure that he was just imagining the bluish tinge the ball seemed to suddenly develop.

 _Please tell me they aren't using magic in front of all these mortals. Please tell me they aren't actually that foolish_ he prayed quietly to himself.

"Oh, really now?!" Rias rhetorically asked heatedly. "Fine! Let's see how you handle the Gremory Counter Strike then!"

As the now blue tennis ball approached Rias Percy saw his King wind up her racket with a hint of magic flowing down her arm and into it. It glowed a soft reddish purple that Percy had grown used to associating with Rias.

Rias brought her racket forward in preparation to make contact with the ball when suddenly the ball hit the ground and bounced in a completely different direction not physically possible within the realm of physics. Still, Rias was already mid swing when the ball bounced away so as Rias swung she let out a loud grunting sound and some of her magic bleed out from her racket and into the court itself. Where the ball hit the ground, a small indent formed from the impact but when Rias's magic hit the ground a small crack split the surface.

"What the Hades is wrong with them!" Percy yelled to his nearby Devils. Kiba and Koneko both looked at him with some concern for what was happening but didn't seem to know what to do about it. Issei and his two perverted friends pulled out cameras and were trying to take pictures of the girl's underwear as their skirts flew up from the resulting swings.

Percy rolled his eyes at that one but wasn't surprised in the slightest.

The only saving grace was everything happened way too quickly for the mortals to really understand what was happening. All around him he saw his fellow bystanders looking at the recent play with a bit of confusion not knowing entirely what happened before they broke out into cheers for what they assumed was Sona's great play.

Percy growled a bit before gently pushing the spectators aside and make his way to the entrance of the court. Rias was winding up to serve the ball back to Sona when Percy ripped open the fence and rumbled inside sending a glare at the now abashed Akeno and a curious Rias. He grabbed the hands of Akeno roughly as he passed her on his way to Rias hearing her let out a soft yelp before she giggled quietly. Percy gently, but firmly, placed Akeno side by side next to Rias before sending a glare both their ways.

"What the Hades do you think you're doing!" he whisper-yelled so nobody could hear them. Outside the courts the grumbling of the male student body was beginning to take place, led none other than by Issei and his two friends. "The two of you are beginning to use your powers where any of the mortals might see them. Sona's last strike was glowing blue for Zeus' sake. BLUE!"

Percy was now wagging his finger at both Rias and Akeno as if scolding a pair of children and while Rias had the decency to look away Akeno merely attempted to by bringing her hands up to cover her mouth and hiding her giggles. Percy looked at the sadistic devil with shock because it seemed she was truly enjoying the demeaning.

"Sucks to suck Issei!" the voice of Saji suddenly shouted towards the Pawn. "It seems Rias needs the help of her little boyfriend because she's afraid of Sona's superior skills!"

Percy sent a fierce wolf glare towards the taunting Sitri Pawn and felt satisfaction when his face paled slightly and he shut up.

"Shut your dill-hole Saji!" Issei responded back not realizing Percy already dealt with him. "Nobody can beat Rias! She's going to wipe the floor with Sona; just you watch and see!"

Sona and Tsubaki strode up next to Rias and Akeno then and looked at Percy warily before smiling at Rias somewhat smugly. She looked like she just one the match though when Percy turned his full attention on her she stepped back slightly unaware of the power of his glare.

"And don't you think you two are getting out of this either" he continued with his whisper yelling. "Look at what you did! Just look!" he said pointing down at the ground at their feet. The indent and crack in the clay surface was plainly visible. "And you have the audacity to claim that I'm the one who will destroy the school" he added with a scowl.

Sona looked sheepish momentarily before wiping her face of emotions. Her earlier smugness had vanished and it seemed his words might actually reach them.

Well everyone except maybe Akeno. Percy still wasn't completely sure why the devil was giving him such a seductive look while he scolded her.

"I admit" Sona began quietly, "that maybe we were getting worked up a bit."

"You think!?" Percy said pointing out their tennis rackets then.

As one the girls all looked down at their rackets and saw what he was pointing out. The wires holding the rackets together were fraying and some had already come completely undone. The holes between the wires were gradually getting bigger and bigger and it was only a matter of time before somebody hit the ball too hard and the rackets were completely destroyed.

"Perhaps maybe we should play something else?" Tsubaki suggested looking towards her King. Both Rias and Sona eyed each other a quick moment before nodding their head in agreement.

Akeno kept her eyes downcast but her giggling never ceased.

"If you want to use your powers" Percy began "I suggest something that doesn't attract the attention of the ENTIRE STUDENT BODY!" he definitely said that last part loudly enough for the first row of people to hear as it seemed like the entire school was now standing outside the court.

The girls agreed with him and as one he watched them leave the courts much to the dismay of all the onlookers. A lot of "Awws" and "Boos" and even a few "Fuck You Percys" were heard round the fencing. Three guesses who shouted the last phrase.

As Percy left the enclosure he made his way back to Kiba and Koneko and Asia. Fortunately, it seemed Kiriyuu had left with the other students which the demigod felt thankful for. He did not want the size of his manhood to be a topic discussed in front of the entire school. Over on the top of the stairs of the hill he saw Rias huddled with Sona discussing what the plans for the next event were going to be.

"That took some serious balls" the monotone voice of Koneko said looking at him with hints of disdain. He didn't really understand why the little Rook seemed to have it out for him but every time he interacted with the girl he could practically feel the hostility fuming off her.

"Yeah man!" Kiba added smiling at him. "You probably just saved the school a lot of hassle though so good job" The Knight gave Percy a pat on the back before offering that same dazzling smile that seemed to attract the attention of every girl at school

Percy shrugged his shoulders before returning the gesture. Asia looked at him with no small amount of adoration and smiled her innocent smile towards him.

Issei then lumbered his way over to the rest of the peerage. His perverted friends were no longer with him, thank the gods.

"What the Hell man!" Issei said clearly upset by no longer getting to watch girls' skirts blow up with the wind. "Why'd you stop the match! We could have had a few more upskirt photos or maybe the girls would fall down ripping their panties in the process or maybe Rias could have come up behind Akeno and grabbed her own bouncing tennis balls before Sona and Tsubaki did the same or…" Issei's mouth trailed off into more and more depraved and completely unlikely scenarios and a small spot of droll came out. His eyes glassed over as if imagining each dirty and naughty playing out before his eyes. Koneko let out a snort at his rambling and Asia patiently listened to him while her eyes slowly bulged with each passing fantasy. Kiba smiled at his friend indulging his comments while Percy just rolled his eyes.

After listening to a few more minutes of Issei losing himself into his fantasies Rias walked over and got everyone's attention. Koneko gave the to-be-Dragon-Emperor an elbow to the stomach causing him to grunt and stop his daydreaming.

"Alright guys" Rias began while Akeno walked behind her. "Percy was right, we got caught up a bit in the tennis match before the humans. Our emotions got the best of us then so we decided that instead we're going to hold a full peerage game instead. That way everyone can get involved." She smiled widely at that and Percy found himself returning it ready to get involved in some action himself.

"So, what are we playing?" Kiba asked their King.

Akeno gave a smirk at that before speaking. "We're going to play one of my favorite games… Dodgeball!" she shouted gleefully.

Percy groaned remembering the last time he played dodgeball. Sona did bring up the explosion that happened last night after all. He had a suspicion Akeno was the one who made the suggestion in the hopes he might destroy something with her.

"Dodgeball?" Issei asked skeptically. He was weary about something but tried to hide it behind a smile.

Percy smirked at his fellow Pawn before giving him a tight squeeze on the shoulder.

"Don't worry Issei. All you have to do is remember the 5 D's."

"5 D's?" the devil asked unsure. Percy could see his mind make a connection between the 5D's and women's breasts.

"Yup. All you have to do is 'Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive and Dodge"

Issei stopped in his tracks at that but Percy gave him a laughing smile before walking down the stairs towards the school gym with the rest of the peerage in tow.

* * *

A few short hours later Percy was in the gym stretching out his arms and legs ready for the game. Behind him Asia was being manhandled by Akeno under the guise of stretching and Kiba stood off to the side talking quietly with Kiba. Issei was seated on the ground with Koneko behind him and the Rook was gently pressing Issei down giving him a better stretch.

Percy was wearing his camp workout clothes, standard knee length black athletic shorts and his bright orange Camp Half-Blood t-shirt. The others didn't think too much of his attire though when Rias saw the shirt she did give him a good long look before nodding her head. Percy had decided earlier in the day that he was going to trust Rias somewhat with his secret. After defending him from Sona and proving to him that she was somewhat trustworthy he felt it was the right time for their discussion. If not that night then definitely in the next few. His mom had hinted that Rias seemed to have his best interests in mind and maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea if she knew about him if she was going to be around so much. In his mother's words "you have to open up to people a little bit Percy, otherwise you'll never find anyone who can be with you." And while he couldn't exactly tell Rias about himself right now he could still give her hints. The shirt was one way of doing that. Fortunately, the King picked up on the significance of it.

Just as Percy was feeling good and limber the doors to the gym banged open and Sona and her peerage strolled right in. The girls were wearing the same tracksuit style gym clothes as Rias though one of Sona's Pawn, Ruruko Nimura Percy thought she might have been, was wearing the same ridiculously skimpy short shorts that Asia and Akeno were wearing.

"Are you and your peerage ready to play Rias?" Sona asked loudly as her team did a quick stretch and got into positions. Saji was standing next to Sona looking at Percy and Issei with overconfidence. Percy smiled in anticipation of knocking him down a peg or two.

Rias smiled at Sona and nodded. "Yes, just about. We'll be right there Sona."

Percy looked over towards Rias and saw the others gathering around her. It seemed her little pow-wow with Kiba resulted in some kind of strategy. He looked forward to hearing what they had planned.

As Percy made his way over he stood next to a limping Issei. He laughed lightly at the brunette and saw Issei scowl back at him mumbling something about Koneko's rocking body having unfair strength. Said Castle just looked at the pervert as if daring him to say something else.

"Since Sona has one more player than us she's going to have Ruruko sit out and referee the match for us" Rias said drawing everyone's attention. She smiled a bit at Issei's situation having watched whatever happened to him with some amusement. "You guys are going to do great. I just know it." She added for support.

"Yeah!" Akeno said. "We're going to take all the balls, aim them right at the Sitri's and smack them right in the face!" she said sighing in bliss. Percy watched her with some confusion.

"Guys" Asia then spoke up softly. She was standing next to Kiba and Percy and seemed really happy. Not Akeno happy but more of a pleased to even be here happy. "I just want to say thank you for playing on our behalf. We haven't known you all for very long and you've been nothing but kind to us. We all really appreciate everything you've done for us."

Leave it to innocent Asia to come in at the last minute with some heavy emotions. Percy couldn't help but agree with the Devil either. His relationship with the devils has been rocky to say the least but it couldn't be said that they weren't accepting of him. Even after hearing all about how he was basically a suspected terrorist back in the US last night they didn't seem to hold anything against him and instead got to know him. He thought maybe, just maybe, they might eventually become friends.

 _If we have long enough to get that close_ he thought bitterly.

Rias smiled at Asia and Issei relayed his sentiments. "Yeah, thank you guys. It's very cool of you to help us out."

They all stood smiling at one another for a moment before Percy broke the silence. "Alright, I don't know about you guys but I'll looking forward to kicking some Sitri ass. Let's do this!" he shouted with a war cry. The other around him broke out of the moment and joined him in his yelling.

Percy felt his heart race a bit as they all got into position ready for the match. There were only a few balls on the ground, not the six that was standard from the ADAA – American Dodgeball Association of America – but his didn't let that bother him. He figured the Japanese Dodgeball Association of Japan probably established different rules.

The demigod was positioned opposite of Saji and smirked a bit at the chance to hit his smug face first. Saji didn't think anything of it but it was only a matter of time before his overconfident attitude crumbled under his balls… err power.

"Begin!" the voice of Ruruko said starting the match. Percy was one of the first to take off letting his ADHD brain take in everything.

Kiba was on the far side of Percy and he was looking to get to his dodgeball first. A few of Sona's evil pieces in the middle looked to get to their balls just after Kiba was. That only left Percy beating Saji to the last ball on the far side. It was strange seeing seven people vying for only four balls but that added an element of unpredictability to the game he hadn't expected to be as exciting as it was.

As Percy reached the ball he saw Saji stop in his track a few feet away realizing that he was too slow compared to the demigod. Saji didn't look too worried but he did lose his overconfident smile at being beat out for the ball.

It was two balls apiece to both sides and Percy made his way in the middle in front over both Asia and Rias. He held the ball out in front of him ready to fire it when he caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

Kiba, seeing an opportunity, whipped his ball out using his Knight speed and everyone watched as it made contact with Reya Kusaka, a Bishop to Sona. She went down with a hard thump.

A whistle blew from Ruruko indicating that Reya was now out.

While everyone watched as Reya made her way outside the field of play Percy saw his opportunity. Saji was a sitting duck staring at the now motionless dodgeball on the ground and Percy, sensing blood in the water, wound up and unload his full strength. He even added a lightly burst of wind from his Sacred Gear to add more velocity to his throw.

The throw wasn't quite as fast as Kiba's had been but there was more power behind it with Percy being stronger than the Knight and the added wind effect pushed the dodgeball with more speed.

POW… THUD

The sound of rubber colliding with flesh rang out in the room and the brief moment between impact and the person falling to the ground was due to the airborne status Saji underwent. The best part for Percy was the giant red mark forming on the Pawns face. It would easily take up his entire face in the morning.

For a brief moment Percy enjoyed his victory over the obnoxious devil. Even if Saji hadn't been an ass to Percy, the demigod didn't forget the snub of not shaking his hand the previous night. However, that was brought up short when he realized that though the Sitri's had just lost two players, they now had all four balls.

Sona and Tsubaki both went and picked up the two balls on the ground as Ruruko whistled Saji out. The Sitri devils looked at one another before seemingly coming to some kind of agreement and getting ready.

Then, all Hades broke out.

The next thing Percy knew he was dodging and ducking under throws right and left while dipping and diving back and forth. It seemed every time he managed to miss a throw another soon replaced it. He wondered how in Olympus the balls kept coming his way when he realized that Rias and the rest were throwing them back just as forcefully. For whatever reason the Sitri clan decided that Percy was the target they would all aim for.

"What the Hades guys!" Percy shouted as he dove to avoid another dodgeball. "Why are you all teaming up against me?"

"Get him!" Sona shouted as she and Tsubaki fired off two magically enhanced dodgeballs. Percy easily avoided Sona's throw but Tsubaki's throw went right in his jumping path. There wasn't going to be another chance for him to avoid this one. Percy prepared himself for the strike but when the sound of rubber hitting flesh rang out it wasn't his own skin that caused the noise.

Standing in front of him was none other than Rias and she managed to grab hold of the magical throw. Percy let out a loud sigh and caught his breath momentarily, thanking the gods for Rias' intervention.

"Well, catching Tsubaki's spike head on is very impressive" Sona congratulated.

"Don't forget Sona" Rias said back, "I'm a Gremory. That's just how we roll." The Redhead threw the ball right at the Heiress causing Sona's eyes to bulge momentarily. Percy was standing now and was ready to watch the heiress get her comeuppance when suddenly a magic circle formed in the path of the path. Percy eyed it curiously as when it went through the circle it disappeared. For a moment nobody knew where it was and looked all around the gym in anticipation of the strike.

They didn't have to wait long as another circle appeared behind one of the Knights of Sona and the ball came flying out of it. The girl turned around upon hearing the whizzing of the ball and tried to throw her arms up in defense of the blow but it wasn't to be. Rias' toss was too strong though Percy suspected the fire that blazed on the Knights skin had more to do with the girls shriek than actually being hit by the ball.

Percy surveyed the remaining players on both sides trying to get a feel for what was left. Percy himself was still kicking along with Rias, Akeno, Asia and Issei. It seemed in Percy's constant dodging both Kiba and Koneko had somehow been eliminated.

They were doing better than Sona's team though. With the dismissal of Sona's last Knight, the Sitri King was left with herself and Tsubasa Yura who Percy thought was a Rook. Sona seemed determined but Tsubasa seemed a bit hesitant by the overwhelming odds.

Unfortunately, Sona had most of the remaining balls on her side while Asia held only one for Rias' team. Sona eyed Percy for a brief moment looking ready to fire at the demigod when at the last second, she changed direction having found a better target.

Issei stood off to the side watching Sona's last Knight make her way to her seat with her clothes slowly burning off. The girl seemed a bit resistant to fire herself but even Percy had to admit he was caught off guard at watching the scene.

Sona wound up and fired at the oblivious Pawn with all her force.

"Issei!" Rias shouted at him. The tone of Rias' voice drew Issei's attention away from the nearly naked girl and he let out a yell at the oncoming missile.

The pervert started running away from the dodgeball but wherever he turned it still seemed to be coming his way.

"I thought you said I needed to Dodge, Duck, Dip, Dive, and Dodge!" Issei yelled coming right at Percy. There wasn't really anywhere else to go.

"I did!" he yelled back. "You're just running!" And then Percy realized that whatever magic Sona put on the ball wasn't being that selective because it suddenly veered slightly off Issei and began coming right at Percy.

Having no choice now, Percy yelled in frustration before taking off in the same direction as his counterpart.

"Damnit Issei!" Percy yelled at him. They were running side by side but Percy mainly did that in case the ball decided it wanted to chase Issei again instead.

"Don't look at me" he shouted back, "It's Sona's crazy magic. Do you honestly think that I'd -"

Percy stopped running as Issei was talking when he realized that the ball was no longer behind them. Instead it somehow made its way in front of them and was coming right for Issei's man parts. Issei didn't realize it yet but it was only a matter of moments before impact and Percy absolutely did not want to be next to him when it happened.

"Ahhhhh!" the Pawn shouted girlishly when the hit came. Percy heard Issei collapse to the ground and visibly winced at the sound. He turned his head away so he didn't have to look at the guys agony. A shot to the nuts was easily in the top five if not the absolute worst possible physical pain a guy could endure.

"My… frank and… beans" Issei said in a high-pitched voice before curling up into a ball trying to catch his breath. Honestly, Percy would have laughed if he didn't know the pain of a crotch shot first hand.

The injury to Issei seemed to pause the game as everyone made their way over to check on him. Rias and Asia seemed concern for him though Koneko told him to rub some dirt on it. The Rook then mumbled something about how he'd probably get off to something like that if they told him the dirt had a hot chick on it moments before.

"Asia" Rias said turning to the Bishop, "can you help ease Issei's pain. Use your Twilight Healing on it?"

"Of course, it'll work best with direct skin contact" Asia said not thinking a second thought about it being Issei's junk she'd be working on.

Despite Issei's pain he seemed eager for the contact. Through struggling breath, he said, "Thanks Asia, just give me a second to take off my pants-" only to be smacked in the head by a glaring Percy.

"Yeah that is definitely not happening" he said angrily. Any sympathy he felt to the Pawn a second ago vanished with his overeager desire to have a woman touch his privates.

"Percy?" Asia asked confused. Sometimes her extremely sheltered life really worked against her and Percy didn't exactly know how to explain either.

The demigod took his attention off of Issei for a moment to give Asia a sheepish look.

"He'll be alright Asia" he began. "If he wants your help he can have it _over_ his pants. Otherwise he can throw some ice on it like anyone else would." Percy said that last part while staring right into Issei's eyes only for the Pawn to nod vigorously in understanding.

Asia looked back and forth between Issei and Percy a moment before shrugging her shoulders. "Are you sure Issei?" she asked innocently.

Issei looked like he wanted to protest momentarily but one last wolf glare from Percy changed his mind.

"I'm sure Asia. Over the pants is fine" he said sighing.

As Percy watched Issei and Asia make their way over to the benches he felt the eyes of Rias bore into his head. He turned to look at the Gremory heiress but when he made eye contact with her all he saw was hints of sadness and… was that longing? He didn't know for certain.

When everyone was back to being situated it left Percy, Rias and Akeno against Sona and Tsubasa. This time the field was even as both sides had two balls apiece with Percy and Rias holding them for Team Gremory.

Ruruko blew the whistle to start play again and both Tsubasa and Sona came out aggressively. Much more so than they had previously. It didn't phase either Rias or Percy though as they instead returned the charge.

Tsubasa wound up to threw her ball right at Percy while Sona was aiming right for Rias. The demigod felt the presence of Akeno to his right and thought that she might just give them the best chance to win the game. If the Queen caught Tsubasa's throw then that would leave Percy free to throw at Sona being the last player left of their side. Right now, Sona and Rias seemed to be in a standoff waiting to see what the other would do.

Trusting his instincts then, Percy stood still and threw his arm back gathering all his strength for this last throw. As Tsubasa let her own ball release into the air he unloaded his own right in the direction of Sona's hip forcing the Sitri King to break her attention from Rias.

Percy watched as his dodgeball soared in the air right at Sona and braced himself for the impact of Tsubasa's ball. He knew it would hurt some as there was no doubt she used her Rook powers to strengthen the throw.

It was right as Percy's ball entered Sona's vision that Percy saw the black streak of Akeno's hair cross his path and intercepting Tsubasa's throw. He let out a tiny sigh of relief at that when Akeno pulled up in front of the demigod holding on to the thrown ball. She was smiling widely at him and Percy returned the look, grateful for her intervention.

"UGH!" the voice of Sona said loudly to the left of them. Percy drew his attention away from Akeno to take in the scene and wasn't shocked by what he saw. In fact, it played out exactly as Percy hoped it would.

As Percy's throw came closer to Sona she had no choice to but take her attention from Rias and defend herself by his projectile. That left her completely open to a throw from Rias, which is exactly what the Redhead did. Utilizing the momentary lapse of judgement on Sona's part, Rias threw the ball right at Sona's chest knocking her down.

The final whistle came in indicating Team Rias had won and they would be allowed to get their Familiars first.

"YEAH!" Percy shouted in joy excited about winning. Maybe it was the Greek in him but he was ecstatic about showing Sona and Saji that they were better.

He grabbed both Rias and Akeno in big hugs throwing them up in the air before catching them laughing and smiling like a fool. This was just like when they won Capture the Flag back at Camp and he was celebrating like he would then too.

Both Akeno and Rias seemed caught off guard by his happiness but their shock quickly melted into joy themselves as they celebrated with him. Soon the others made their way over and Percy found himself lifting little Koneko and Asia up in the air too before clapping both Issei and Kiba on the arms bringing them in for bro hugs.

Nothing helps repair relationships better than winning after all.

* * *

As everyone made their way from the gym back to the clubhouse the moon was shining brightly in the dark sky.

 _Seems Artemis is in a very good mood tonight_ Percy thought to himself smiling at his new companions. And maybe, dare he say it, his new friends. He had his arms wrapped around both Rias and Akeno as he deemed them the true winners of the game knocking out Tsubasa and Sona and winning it for them. Both girls seemed happy.

Even Issei was happy and celebrating, the pain from being hit in the balls having retreated.

When everyone stumbled back into the clubhouse they were all laughing and joking about the tennis match and Issei "taking one for the team."

Rias pulled out some kind of special drink and poured everyone a glass before gathering them around the coffee table in the middle of the room. She smiled at them all widely clearly very pleased with the events of earlier.

"I want you all to know that I'm very proud of the way you all played" Rias said appreciatively. Genuine joy radiate from the Crimson haired devil and her attitude was rubbing off on everyone. "You guys went out there and gave it your all to defeat those devils. I hope you are all proud of the way you played yourselves."

Percy was standing in his usually spot between Akeno and Asia, across from Kiba, and toasted everyone else. They all clanked their glasses together in celebration before drinking the contents.

It wasn't any Nectar by any stretch but the drink was good.

The seemingly joyous occasion went of for a few more minutes with everyone reminiscing over the day and how Akeno and Rias almost destroyed the Tennis Courts before they wiped the floor with Sona's peerage. Percy was just telling Kiba and Asia about how good it felt to nail Saji in the face when Rias interrupted everyone.

"Alright everyone, sorry to break up the party but I think it's time we go and get these three a couple of Familiars. What do you guys say to that?" the King asked smiling at them.

"Yeah!" Issei yelled pumping his fists. "I'm totally going to find the hottest Familiar there is so she can please me whenever I want and I can do all kinds of naughty things to her!" The same lovestruck look that Issei got when he was daydreaming his perverted fantasies formed on his face.

"Wait! We're going now?" Asia asked surprised.

"It is the Full Moon tonight. It's the best chance we'll have to see him" Rias answered. She began forming a Magic Circle on the ground were everyone was standing ready to transport them somewhere.

"Him" Percy asked skeptically turning to look at Akeno.

Right as she was about to speak though they were whisked away to wherever Rias was taking them.

* * *

Wherever she was taking them just so happened to be a dark and creepy forest… somewhere.

"Where are we?" Issei said coming out of his dirty mind.

"We're in a magical forest filled with Familiars silly" Akeno answered him.

Percy eyed their surrounding warily. "And all that is in here are magical Familiars, right? Nothing that would say… Oh I don't know, want to eat us alive?"

The trees here were much more menacing than the ones in Kuoh Park and their canopies were completely barren of leaves. The trees looked dead in all but name but Percy could feel the water in their bark. In the event that one of these Familiars did attack them due to his scent then he could at least draw on the trees water source if Riptide didn't work properly.

"Well I'm sure there are probably some Familiars that would be tempted to eat us" Rias said nonchalantly. "But we're devils so that should turn the majority of them away. Only if we anger some of the older ones would we come across trouble."

Percy gulped and pulled out his pen just in case. As a half devil he didn't know if the same protections would apply to him.

"Well who do we have here" a voice up in the trees suddenly said loudly. Percy immediately uncapped Riptide letting forth the celestial bronze form and beside him he felt Asia grab hold of his biceps.

"Who the Hades are you!?" Percy yelled upwards at a random man in a tree. He was wearing a pair of cargo shorts, the ones with multiple side pockets, which a white t-shirt and yellow backpack on his shoulders. He had a sweater tied tightly across his waist and a baseball cap backwards on his head. If he didn't just randomly pop up in the middle of a creepy forest Percy might have just mistaken him for a hiker. Or maybe some loser who was caught up in a Pokémon cosplay.

"I'm the Master of the Familiars, AKA Zatouji."

Issei looked up him with the same skepticism as Percy did.

"This is the guy?" he asked no one in particular.

The guy continued as if Issei hadn't even spoken.

"If your goal is to find Familiars galore, you've come at the right time. That's for sure. The full moon is out to help you decide and I'll be the one to act as your guide!"

Percy lowered the tip of his blade to the ground as he realized this guy might just have a screw loose. Not only did he seem beyond strange but he also had a terrible habit of rhythming his sentences unnecessarily. Percy thought he might get along with Apollo very well.

"Now how can I help you, tell me all your wants and desires. A strong one? A fast one? One that likes to set fires?"

"If you couldn't already tell" Akeno said to Issei and Percy "Zatouji really likes to rhyme"

Percy nodded his head not quite believing this guy.

Issei spoke up and, of course, he asked about sexy Familiars.

 _Does this guy think of nothing but sex?_ Percy thought tiredly. It seemed the kid was never going to change; not that Percy really expected him to. Percy smacked himself in the head at his question.

"Do you have any Familiars with really big knockers? Who really like nerdy Japanese guys maybe?"

Fortunately, it seemed the Familiar Master didn't like that mindset as he shut Issei down immediately. He shook his fingers back and forth negatively to show that his question wasn't appropriate.

"This is why amateurs always annoy. If you're seeking something more than a toy, then you need to utilize your other head my boy. You need to find the Familiar that will be the best fit, look for best personality, not the one that has the best tit."

Asia spoke up having taking his words to heart. Her hands were clasped together in a pray like pose and she was smiling up at him having gotten over the odd behavior of the Familiar Master.

"That makes sense. I'd really like one that's cute and fun to be around"

Percy looked at her confusedly not really understanding why she'd choose one like that. Yes, the choice seemed to fit her personality really well as Asia but wasn't the Familiar to be a companion and help them in fights and other activities. The demigod raised an eyebrow at Rias hoping his look conveyed his unasked question but the Redhead just shrugged her shoulders before looking back at the Familiar Master.

"Fun?" he said with a big smile on his face. "Done and Done!"

Asia jumped up and down repeatedly in joy.

"And what for you young man? Maybe you want one that always has a plan?"

Percy shivered slightly at the prospect of having a mini Athena as a Familiar. The phrasing hitting way to close to home he shook his head vigorously.

"No, definitely not that." He confirmed. "Maybe one that can help me fight. Or one that breaths underwater? Do you have ones like that?"

Zatouji smiled broadly at that though Percy could feel the questioning looks of the rest of the peerage on him.

"A Familiar that breathes underwater is one you should treasure. One that is powerful and will offer much pleasure. Of that kind of Familiar there is none more fine, than the water goddesses known as the Undine."

Percy was hesitant at first because of his connection to the sea but maybe that might actually work out in his favor this time. He had a Hellhound as a Familiar of sorts already in Mrs. O'Leary and Blackjack was basically his personal Pegasus that could somewhat classify as a Familiar. It didn't seem right that he didn't have a water one given his heritage. He usually tried to avoid water creatures as they could be really annoying at times but maybe these Undines were different.

With that everyone trekked off to find the best Familiar for everyone. Issei sulked a bit in the back having been rejected about finding a big breasted Familiar but both Percy and Asia walked in the front looking all around them. Asia was no doubt searching for a Familiar though Percy was mainly checking out their surroundings to make sure they weren't attacked.

It was only a few minutes later when they appeared at a lake in the middle of the forest. There was a massive clearing all around the lake and the trees around it actually had leaves for the first time. The leaves looked yellowish color making them seem either unhealthy or that it was Autumn time in the forest.

Percy could feel his Poseidon blood resonate with the water. He didn't think a demigod son of the sea had ever been anywhere near these waters before and he felt drawn closer to the shores.

The water was so pure and clean, not like the lakes and rivers back on Earth. Back there he could feel the sludge and grime and pollution from years and years of human destruction. At times it really made him empathize with Grover and the Nature Spirits as he could sense all the minute problems in the water.

But here everything was clean and refreshing and invigorating. Percy drew a deep breath and felt the water connect with his powers. He couldn't help the tiny grin appear on his face as he took in everything about the lake.

As if drawn by the hypnotic powers of the water, Percy found himself slowly stepping into the water. Behind him he heard a buzzing noise in his ears that he assumed were the voices of Rias and Zatouji but Percy didn't care about anything right then except feeling the true cleanliness water was supposed to be like.

Without thinking about it he slowly extended his hands out to the side of his body and felt the familiar tug in his gut. Experiences no hesitation, the water responded to his command swirling all around him in a raging whirlpool.

He couldn't help himself and let out a joyous laugh as his element churned all around him. He thought he heard a few gasps from his fellow devils but he paid them no heed instead letting himself get lost in his display of power.

Slowly he began sensing the presence of a few of the spirits appear from the surface of the water watching him. He knew they were there when he first stepped in but didn't really register them until they got gradually closer to him. Percy opened his eyes to the sight of no less than 30 water sprites looking at him in awe. The demigod chose to let go of his power then, slowly releasing the water back into the lake.

As if the splashing of the water was a signal Percy was suddenly swamped by the presence of dozens of Undines stampeding him. He quickly became surrounded and his arms were suddenly pulled forward dragging him deeper and deeper into the lake. He heard a cry of shock from Rias but when Percy looked back he saw her being restrained by Zatouji. Percy tried to give a small wave to let her know everything was alright but before he could see if she noticed, he was dragged completely underwater.

Percy would be lying if he said it didn't feel good to be back in his elemental wholly. He hadn't been swimming in a lake or ocean since before he found out the gods plan for him and he missed it greatly. The demigod laughed along with the Undines who continued to chirp at him incessantly, each trying to capture his attention.

The son of Poseidon looked around at all the sprites getting a good idea of what they were like. Most were very beautiful in the same flowing way Naiads back a camp were and each had distinct features that separated them from the others. One, he noticed, was wearing a long swirling green dress with matching stormy eyes. Another, had smoky eyes with a slight greyish tinge to her skin making her more seafoam like than water like.

A few were extremely butch and showed off their impressive muscular physique. They certainly weren't attractive like the others were but that didn't matter a whole lot to Percy. Unlike Issei, who no doubt would have immediately ruled them out, Percy looked at those Undines critically, assessing their strengths and weaknesses. Unfortunately, Percy was plenty strong and he didn't think any of those sprites were the right choice for him.

"My Lord!" a few shouted to get his attention. They were a bit smaller than the others though Percy thought they might have been more beautiful.

When Percy turned to look at them he saw they were actually very small compared to their fellow sprites. They only came up about a foot and a half but when Percy felt their presence he noticed it was more raw. Those tinier Undines had more power than the other stronger and bigger Sprites by far. There were only three of these ones.

The first one, the one that shouted "My Lord" to him, stood before the others commanding his attention. She wore a dark emerald color dress that highlighted her paler skin and had flowing black hair. It reminded Percy of the glowing vents in the lowers depths of the sea. She stood before Percy as if she expected him to pick her.

The second one stood next to the first but where the first was wearing a green dress this one was wearing a silver one. She had blonde hair that flowed in the water and she eyed the first one with disdain as if she didn't even deserve to be in his presence the same time as she was.

"You will pick me My Lord" the second one spoke so self-assured Percy couldn't help hearing the arrogance in it.

He immediately ruled her out for that fact alone.

The last one stood behind the others and looked to be struggling to differentiate herself from everyone. She seemed as if she was fighting against a horde of monsters all by her lonesome and had a few scrapes and bruises from when she tried to get through the other bigger Undines. Percy eyed her deep, navy blue dress that matched her dark blue hair wondering what it was about this sprite that felt different than the others. By any account she didn't have nearly the same power as the first two did and she seemed to lack the confidence the other did as well.

But maybe that was why Percy felt a connection with this Sprite. He knew what it was like to fight against overwhelming odds, to wield incredible powers, and yet still never be sure of oneself sometimes. When Percy looked at this last little Sprite he saw himself in her.

Which is why he extended his hand to the sprite and smiled at her.

At first the Undine seemed to have no clue what to do. All around them the voices of the other Undines stopped speaking watching the scene and pure jealousy for what this small Sprite was receiving. The sprite raised her head upwards to look into Percy's eyes and Percy saw her own bulge out in surprise before she jumped up squealing in laughter and latched onto his arm. He couldn't help but laugh with her and the next thing Percy knew he was pushing them both up to the surface in wild abandon.

The sight of them must have been shocking to the devils because when Percy emerged from the surface of the lake with his Familiar on his arm he saw Rias yelling at the Familiar Master before stopping mid shout. Asia looked at him with wide eyes before she jumped towards him and pulled him into a hug. Akeno and Koneko both seemed upset by his disappearance while Kiba stood watching his ascension from the Lake with awe and trepidation. Percy heard Issei grumbling about how Percy had gotten a beautiful woman as his Familiar.

The demigod felt his Familiar nuzzle up into his free arm trying to bury her face into his chest. Clearly, she was a bit shy around others.

"Well what have we here? A Master and Familiar. A beautiful sight surely to send one a shiver." The Familiar Master rhymed poorly. Percy didn't care that much about it then as he was focused on his familiar and comforting a crying Asia.

"Percy" Rias said not quite comprehending what happened.

"Tonight Rias" he said answering her question. He tried to put as much emotion into those two words to indicate that yes, finally, they would have their conversation after all this time. The others looked back and forth between them trying to understand what was going on but Rias just nodded her head absentmindedly.

"I think" Asia began quietly, "I think I'd actually like to go home now. If that was how Familiars are determined then I don't think I want one anymore" she said clearly upset.

Percy felt bad because he knew that he was clearly a special case. He didn't think the others had to go nearly through the same thing he did. Then again, he couldn't say for sure. He did just assume that it was because he could breath underwater that the Undines dragged him under in the first place. They could probably feel his demigod heritage like any other monster.

"Fear not you fun-loving gal. We will find you a Familiar who will be your pal. I have never seen the Undines do that before, so I think it's mainly a case of your friend being on the lakeshore."

The Familiar Master seemed so confident that they'd find one for Issei and Asia. Percy gave Asia a squeeze on the shoulder with the hand she was holding onto to offer support. When she looked at him he gave her a smile and a nod of the head to indicate that everything was going to be ok.

"I don't know…" she trailed off.

Issei jumped in then. "I want a Familiar like that one" he pointed at Percy's Undine causing the demigod to scowl. "I want a hot Familiar too!"

The Familiar Master shook his head and started off again in the forest.

Percy was glad he didn't say anything that time. He guessed that constantly trying to rhyme your words was actually pretty difficult.

They all walked along in the forest for a few more minutes each person looking at their surroundings. Asia was still huddled up tight against him but she kept an eye out for a potential Familiar as well.

Rias had pointed out a few different Familiar we came across to both Asia and Issei for reference. One was a brown-haired fox type creature that had a snout seemingly made like a pig. Another was what appeared to be a baby Hydra like Familiar. Percy quickly steered them away from that one.

But it was as the moon was starting to set that they finally had a break through.

"Oh my!" The Familiar Master began. "Look high!"

As everyone looked up they saw none other than a small blue dragon resting on a tree branch munching away on some kind of charred meat. Compared to Peleus, the dragon barely was the size of on of his paws but the sleek scale armor made him look like he'd grow into a formidable Familiar.

Upon hearing the voice of Zatouji the dragon looked all around them before making contact with the traveling group. He jumped up in the air and flew around just observing them.

"Aww" Asia said, "he's so cute!" She looked like she wanted to treat the dragon like a little plush toy and cuddle him.

"Aye cute" confirmed the Familiar Master, "but dangerous too. When they get angry they have the power to shoot a lightning that's blue."

Percy shivered imagining being struck by lightning again. Images of his cousin Thalia floated in his head momentarily and he tried to shake them out.

"Wow that dragon's really rare, isn't it?" Kiba asked out loud.

"I've never seen on before" Rias said throwing in her two cents.

Zatouji turned to look at Asia and began speaking again. "You should do it now if you want it to be claimed. Once they grow up these dragons can no longer be tamed."

Asia looked at all the others and everyone nodded their head in support of her. Percy thought maybe he or Issei would actually be better choices for the Familiar considering they both carried dragon souls in their Sacred Gears but Percy had already picked his Undine and knew he wouldn't give her up for anything and Issei still didn't know about Ddraig. Asia was the next best choice really. He remembered Tiamat claiming something about Twilight Healing having an affinity for dragons.

"Alright. I'll do it" she said determinedly then. Where she got the confidence from Percy didn't know as it was only a few minutes ago she seemed so scared about picking a Familiar. Maybe it was the support of her friends? Percy knew firsthand that having your friends by your side could make all the difference in the world when facing a scary task.

For a moment nobody did anything but stare at the hovering dragon. He looked closely at both Percy and Issei before shooting off a few sparks of lightning in both males' direction.

Percy, being ready for an attack in this forest pretty much since they arrived, jumped away immediately avoiding the strike. Issei? Not so much. The pervert tried to jump but wasn't quick enough and took a blast from the lightning head on. Percy winced remembering just how painful getting struck by lightning could be.

When Percy looked up from the ground he saw the dragon make his perch on Asia's shoulder nuzzling into her head and neck much the way Percy's Undine was doing to him. Percy could swear the dragon had a smug look on it's face at hitting Issei.

"Sprite dragons don't attack unless they feel they are in trouble. Which means in the Familiar world that that dragon and lovely lady should be together on the double."

"Why the Hades would it think she was in trouble though?" Percy asked getting up and dusting himself off. He managed to protect his Undine in his jump and she lent him a helping hand by removing some of the dust off his shoulder.

"Who can say when it comes to this magical sprite. Maybe you or your friend gave him a fright. In any case the choice is clear, as this little dragon has chosen this young lady as a peer. Now it's up to her to seal the deal."

Just listening to this guy brought up horrible memories of when the Apollo cabin cursed the Ares cabin to speak in nothing but rhyming couplets for a week. It was honestly grating on Percy.

Then the Familiar Master looked up in the sky and saw the dwindling moon. "And that, my friends, is my que. My time is just about over in your crew. Now gather round and put your Familiar on the ground and speak the words which will cause your chosen to be bound."

Percy looked at Asia who also appeared just as lost as he did but put her dragon on the ground nonetheless. The demigod looked at his Undine in curiosity and saw that she seemed eager for this so-called binding. So, he placed her gently on the ground and looked towards Rias for guidance.

"It's simple really" Rias confirmed looking at both of them. "All you have to do is say this: In the name of, your name, and devils everywhere I command you to accept this pact and be my Familiar forever."

It sounded really simple to Percy but he found that oftentimes things actually were. Looking at his Undine he began reciting the ritual.

"In the name of Percy Jackson and devils everywhere, I command you to accept this pact and be my Familiar forever."

Nothing happened. He didn't feel a connection to the Familiar like he should have. When he looked over he saw Asia didn't have any problems with her ritual as the square rotating magic box on the ground her dragon was in was absorbed by the Familiar sealing his acceptance of the pact.

Most of the peerage was watching Asia but Rias' eyes were squarely on Percy. She seemed just as confused as he was.

From the ground his Undine chirped up making some grunting noises. Percy was a bit surprised she didn't speak to him like the other Undines had done. It must be something that can only be done in water. He tried making a telepathic connection with her and found it was much more difficult above ground than when they were in the lake.

"Gods" the Undine said. It was only one word but it made things very clear for him.

The only way she would accept a pact with him was if he included his demigod status in the ritual. He supposed it made sense since he was half god and half devil. That didn't make him feel better though.

By now everyone had finished congratulating Asia and turned their attention on him. He felt his face flush a bit as he didn't want to reveal everything right there in the forest. Not to mention that he didn't feel comfortable divulging something like that in front of a complete stranger.

Instead he picked up the Undine and pulled her close before whispering that he'd do it later when the other weren't around. That seemed acceptable to the water sprite.

The other had just assumed that he had made the pact successfully though Rias watched him with concern. He tried to give her an assuring smile and mouthed the words _later_ again.

Gods he had a lot to explain tonight.

"Hey, what about me!" Issei yelled at Zatouji. They had spent quite some time in the forest and he still hadn't found a Familiar.

The Familiar Master looked at him and gave him a pat on the back.

"Sorry kid, seems your shit outta luck. Maybe next time you'll stop thinking about ladies to fuck."

Before Issei could say anything else though the Familiar Master turned around and took off into the forest yelling something like "Gotta catch'em all!"

They watched the yellow backpack take off into the woods and Percy felt really grateful they wouldn't be subject to any more rhymes.

"Alright guys" Rias said drawing everyone's attention. "I think it's time we head back home. We'll come back another time and find a Familiar for you Issei, don't worry." She said to appease the Pawn.

Percy was eager to leave as he could feel the hair on the back of his neck start to stand up. He didn't like that sensation and immediately pulled everyone he could close to him in protection.

"Rias" Percy said softly, "you'd best make that circle right now. I have a very bad feeling about this."

For a quick second, Percy didn't think Rias was going to do as he asked but it seemed she remembered their encounter with the Hydra because she immediately started forming the Magic Circle on the ground. It was only a matter of moments before they were gone again but each passing second seemed to drag on for Percy.

"ROARRR!" came a sudden shout as one of the largest dragons he'd ever seen came barreling into the clearing they were in. He tore through trees and roots in his efforts to reach them. Percy saw the menacing face of the dragon and saw sharp, ragged teeth jutting out of his mouth and a bright orangish color in the back of his throat.

"Now Rias!" Percy yelled pulling out Riptide again. He had gotten extremely lucky that nothing else had attacked them while he was here but it seemed that time was up.

He felt the tugging in his gut and Zenith Tempest formed on his left arm causing his Undine to scramble up onto his neck. The water in the trees responded to his command and he yanked them with all his powers, pulling them straight from the bark. It seemed most of the trees were on their last legs of life as when Percy pulled the water from them they began crumbling into wood chips and dust.

Percy formed a barrier in front of them out of the water to protect against the dragon's flames and it snapped it place just in the nick of time. The old Familiar let loose a barrage of flames that collided with his water shield causing it to hiss and dissipate slightly.

In the corner of his eye Percy saw his Undine holding up her hands too trying to help him hold the water shield in place against the dragon's strikes. He felt very glad in that moment that he had chosen this little sprite as his own Familiar even if the pact wasn't sealed yet.

"Rias!" Percy yelled when the first of the flames broke through his shield. They weren't enough to cause damage but their tongues were trying to burn away his skin nonetheless.

"Alright now!" the voice of Rias shouted form behind him. He felt himself release the shield and watch at the flames made their way to him.

Fortunately, they never reached as they all disappeared in the Magic Circle heading back to the Club.

* * *

When everyone landed back in the Club House Rias let loose a big sigh of relief. Nobody seemed hurt and everyone had made the jump. She immediately ran over to check on Percy as he was the one closest to the dragon's fire and was protecting everyone.

He was breathing more deeply sitting on the ground checking over his Undine. Neither seemed hurt though the Familiar was visibly tired.

"What the Hell was that about!" Issei said confused as everyone else was.

Or should she saw almost everyone else was. Percy seemed to focus more intently on his own body as Issei roared about the attack as if he knew something they didn't. Rias waited for him to say something but when he wasn't forthcoming she knew she'd have another question for him.

"I don't know Issei. That's never happened to us before." The King tried to say soothingly. "My guess is that we were on his territory he attacked in self-defense."

It seemed like a logical enough explanation considering Asia found her Familiar there. There was probably bound to be more dragons in the vicinity. Everyone nodded their acceptance of her explanation.

Everyone was sitting down on the couches now thinking about the latest odd situation. Ever since Percy had joined her peerage stranger and stranger things keep happening to them.

First, Greek monsters start appearing around town, two of which Percy's killed. Second, a group of rogue Fallen Angels tries to steal and kill a fellow member of the church. Third, Percy keeps mysteriously avoiding talking about his past. And now, they are attacked in the Familiar Forest, which, as far as she knows, has never happened before. None of it added up and she needed answers.

And there was only one man who could give them to her.

"Hey everyone" Rias said breaking out of her thoughts. They all turned to her to see what she had to say. "I think we've had enough excitement for one night. Why don't you all head on home and get some rest? We can talk more tomorrow."

It wasn't a suggestion and they could all clearly hear the dismissal.

As everyone was saying their goodbyes and making their departures Rias made sure to make eye contact with Percy. He gave a small sigh when their eyes met but nodded all the same and sat back down.

Kiba was the first to leave as he walked out the door with Issei only a few moments behind him. Koneko formed a magic circle on the ground and disappeared to her own house and Akeno followed in her footsteps just after her. That only let Percy, Asia, and Rias herself.

"Asia-" Rias began only to be cut off by Percy.

"She can stay Rias" his tone indicated that he wasn't budging from that position. If he told Rias then he was going to tell Asia as well. The redhead supposed that seeing as they lived in the same home the blonde did have some right to his secret though she didn't like the idea of sharing that knowledge with anyone right now. She felt a pang of jealousy spring up in her but quickly squashed it down.

"Fine" Rias said diplomatically. She eyed Asia to see that the girl had almost no idea of what was going on but wasn't going to say anything.

"Alright Percy," Rias continued, "I think it's time for you to give me some answers. Why does all this weird stuff – weird even for devils - keep happening? Why have we been attacked by ancient monsters numerous since you've showed up in Kuoh Town and why do you seem to know when a threat is imminent? Just who are you exactly?" The redhead was getting slightly worked up but maintained her composure for the most part.

Percy grimaced visibly and heaved a heavy sigh.

"I can't tell you Rias" he said deflated.

Rias felt a hint of anger at that. He had promised her answers tonight and now he was avoiding them!

"That's not good en-" she said only to be cut off by him again.

"Rias, listen to me for a moment" Percy said getting her attention. He looked into her eyes with his swirling, stormy irises practically begging her to listen to him. She was lost in their hidden depths for a moment before nodding her head.

"I can't tell you because I'm _not allowed_ to tell you. If I told you that would create major problems for everyone. And when I saw everyone I _mean_ everyone. Like the whole world potentially."

Now that was really serious if Rias had heard anything before. What could his secret be that was so potentially detrimental that the world would be at stake.

"I'm not allowed to tell you, however that doesn't mean that I can't give you hints. You're really smart Rias. I'm counting on you using your intelligence to figure this out."

 _Hints_ she thought to herself. She tried to make a list of all the hints and things Percy's done and said since he arrived in Kuoh Town.

First, there was the Ancient Greek monsters. Both the Chimera and the Hydra had appeared in town after his arrival. She hadn't watched him fight the Chimera but she was there when he fought the Hydra. Percy seemed to know exactly what he was doing too, as if he was born to fight those legendary beasts.

Next was his uncanny ability to pick up on danger. Maybe this wasn't really a hint per se but Percy seemed to know exactly when something was about to happen. First with the Hydra and most recently tonight with the dragon. He knew exactly when it was coming and was prepared for attacks by the monsters. It was almost like he was prepared for something like them to attack him.

Thirdly, was his death. She remembered how he practically was ready to embrace his demise. He even told her "no" though she didn't actually think that is what he said at the time. Who in their right mind wanted to die anyway? It didn't make sense but he seemed adamant he was ready for it.

Fourthly, his mother practically confirmed there was something different about him. Sally had told her that Percy was keeping something secret about his father. She could understand being ashamed if his father had abandoned him as a baby as she originally thought but there must have been more to the story. Sally was very fond of saying that his father was "lost at sea" rather than died or abandoned them. For a woman who was forced to raise Percy as a single mother she was surprised by the warmth that came from Sally's mouth when talking about his father.

Fifth, his choice of clothes. The last couple of days he'd taken to wearing a strange orange shirt with the name Camp Half-Blood on it. He had looked at her a few times drawing his attention to it but never actually saying anything about it.

And lastly was just his general words and phrases. He was overly fond of saying "what the Hades" instead of "what the hell" as she had told him numerous times the saying should actually be. He didn't refer to humans as human either. Instead he called them mortals as if he wasn't. Rias remembered him berating himself for what he called "the council" too when he was upset about finding out he was a Pawn. Something about always being told what to do if her guess was right. And considering it seemed this "council" had forbidden him from saying anything about his heritage she figured that they had dictated quite a bit of his life.

"You…" she said slowly, "aren't exactly… human… are you?"

Her question was unsure of herself but the pieces were slowly falling into place. A father who was "lost at sea" who was clearly powerful enough to dictate much of his life along with a "council" to govern. A man who was practically born to fight monsters and almost always knew when they were around. And of course, "Hades". It all fit together perfectly and she gulped in slight worry she was right.

Percy nodded his head.

"Percy?" Asia said sitting next to him on the couch. Rias completely forgot Asia was there as her mind tried to figured out just who Percy was. The girl sounded completely confused by the conversation.

Percy turned to look at the girl and gave her a supportive smile though he made no move to touch her. Asia seemed really unsure about everything with this partial reveal.

"It's because you are a devil, right?" the girl asked naively. Rias couldn't help thinking that Asia clung to her innocence just a bit harder than was necessary. Maybe it was a result of her almost dying thanks to Raynare.

Percy's smile disappeared from his face. "I'm only half a devil Asia" he said.

 _Half a devil_ Rias thought to herself. _Half devil and half… what_. She gulped not sure she wanted to continue down the rabbit hole she knew the answer was in.

Percy turned to look back at Rias and she saw him nod his head. Rias' mind whirled with the knowledge of what he was. It shouldn't have been possible but here he stood before her all the same.

"And half what?" Asia asked unsure.

"Rias knows" Percy said smacking his lips to moisten them. It seemed Rias wasn't the only one with a dry mouth right then.

The former nun turned to her looking expectant for answers.

Rias began talking not sure she wanted to admit it aloud but unable to stop herself.

"Half devil and… half…god." She finally admitted.

As if admitting what he was wasn't enough, a loud boom of thunder roared outside the room. It caused everyone to jump and Asia grabbed hold of Percy's arm in instinct.

Percy didn't say anything but he did nod his head to answer her. He looked grim when he acknowledged her.

"Which one?" Rias said after they let the silence linger between them a few moments. She didn't want to know but at the same time she absolutely had to know too. It could make all the difference as they tried to handle this situation.

"I told you before Rias, names have power. If I say my father's name now it will attract his attention, which is something we definitely don't want right now."

Rias grimaced remembering that he did indeed say that before. And she ignored it much to her consternation as it drew the attention of the Hydra her way. She was going to heed his advice now.

Still she need confirmation and there were ways around learning a name without it being said.

"The Greek Sea God" she said hoping he'd answer her.

He just nodded his head once more.

It was too much to take in and it seemed Asia had finally picked up on what was happening. No doubt the Fallen Angels had told her about some other mythologies and the Greeks were one of the most prolific in the world even if their power had diminished since the rise of Christianity.

And here standing in front of her was a result of a god and a human woman. Something that shouldn't have existed in the first place and yet was changed further by having devil blood flow through him. She had no doubt that his friends Nico and Will were also demigods.

Before anyone could say anything else though Percy stood up and picked up his Undine. The water sprite looked eager for something as Rias saw her clap her watery hands in joy and mumble out some excited nonsense. Percy smiled down at her trying not to let their conversation get to him.

He gently placed the Undine on the ground and took a step back before drawing a deep breath. Underneath the Familiar the rotating box that would bind her to him became visible and twirled in a mix of greens and blues and silvers. It was almost like watching the colors of the ocean itself.

"Are you ready?" Percy asked the Familiar to which she responded enthusiastically. The demigod let out a small laugh before beginning the ritual. Maybe now Rias would figure out why it didn't work in the forest the first time.

"In the name of Percy Jackson and devils everywhere, I command you to accept this pact and be my Familiar forever. On behalf of my Father and the Olympians, I command you to accept this oath and be my Familiar forever. I swear on the River Styx to befriend you, to make you my companion, and to protect you to the best of my abilities for as long as we both shall live."

Outside another boom of thunder rang out but Asia was the only one to jump this time. Percy was expecting it and Rias was too caught up in watching the ritual take place.

When it was completed the Undine glowed bright white causing everyone to avert their eyes momentarily. As the light faded away, Rias looked back and saw his Familiar had grown a bit into a beautiful woman with flowing hair. She no longer seemed the childlike Familiar she was before but instead that of a mature older woman with centuries of experience. She gracefully dropped to her knees and pulled his hand to her lips to kiss it softly. Percy grimaced at the action but didn't say anything.

"My Lord" the Undine spoke. Rias had never known a Familiar to actually speak before though there have been stories that it has happened. It wasn't unheard of though it was very rare. "I am honored you have chosen me to be your Familiar. I promise to serve you to the best of my abilities."

"Please stand up" Percy said gently pulling her to her feet. He looked very uncomfortable with the thought of her gravelling to him. "Just call me Percy alright. We might be Master and Familiar but I hope that we'll be friends"

The Undine seemed surprised by this but smiled at Percy and nodded her head.

"Do you have a name?" he asked her.

The Undine grew a contemplative look as if she was trying to remember something but after a second her eyes became downcast and she shook her head no. She seemed upset and embarrassed by this.

Percy immediately pulled her into a hug and whispered something in her ears. Even with Rias' enhanced devil hearing she couldn't make out the words he said.

"How about Meredith?" he asked when he pulled away. If Rias had a camera on her she would have taken a picture at the moment because the way the Undine's face lit up at the name was astounding. She had the largest smile on her face and looked eternally grateful to Percy. The Familiar nodded her head and after whispering something into his ears she vanished into mist returning to where all the claimed Familiars go.

When Percy turned around he had a big smile on his face. Rias became caught up in his crooked smile and didn't realize she was forming one of her own. It was such a natural reaction that it didn't even cross her mind that they were just talking about him being part god.

However, they all drew back into themselves as the moment passed.

"So, what exactly does this all mean?" Asia asked as Percy settled back on the couch. His oath to the Olympians pretty much cleared up any possible confusion there might have been.

Percy turned his attention back and forth between Asia and Rias. "You can't tell anyone else about this. At least not yet. All those things you heard about from Sona last night? That was due to demigod nature. I, unfortunately, attract the attention of monsters. We apparently smell really appetizing to them." He shook his head at that as if remembering some back experiences with monsters. Which if she believed him, and she did, meant that he's been dealing with them his either life.

The whole part about one-eyed stalkers and people discussing the best ways to eat him suddenly made a lot more sense to Rias now.

"I need to tell my brother" Rias said. "He'll know exactly what to do. Does your father even know about this?" she asked with a naïve hope that he didn't. Rias didn't exactly want to get on the bad side of the God of the Seas.

Percy laughed at that. It was a bitter laugh that pretty much answered Rias' question.

"The whole council knows. My uncle made damn sure everyone knew. Let's just say that neither you or I am their favorite person right now."

Rias gulped. If Zeus was angry with her that could be very problematic.

"Did he say what he was going to do?" she asked somewhat afraid of what the King of the Gods might do. He was known as a fun-loving, entertaining god in the Underworld but his reputation as easily to angry was well-known too.

"I mean, he did try to kill me and reclaim my soul" Percy said nonchalantly. He said it as if was a completely normal occurrence for him.

Asia shrieked and pulled tighter against him. "Your uncle tried to kill you!" she asked shocked. Rias remembered that Percy said many of his relatives had tried to kill him before. The heir of Gremory still couldn't completely wrap her head around family members actively trying to kill each other.

Percy just smiled at the girl as if it was nothing. "He's tried to kill me a bunch of times now. Why I remember it was barely even a year ago when he locked me in a cell in the Underworld. That was not a fun few hours, let me tell you."

Both Asia and Rias looked at him unsure for a minute as his words went through their heads. It didn't make sense that Zeus would lock him away in a cell and that doesn't speak clearly why that cell would be in his brother's domain.

Percy looked back and forth between them before suddenly seeming to realize why they were so confused.

"While my uncle, the King, has tried to kill me before I was mainly talking about my other uncle. The one from down below. King of the dead and all that."

Now everything made a bit more sense to Rias. It wasn't Zeus but Hades who had gone ballistic when Percy was resurrected. That made sense considering Rias had basically just taken a soul from his domain and returned it to the living. And Hades hated devils to begin with so for him to actively seek out to kill Percy just seemed right.

It was essentially removing two pieces at once. The first, Hades would be eliminating a Devil which he was always happy to do. The second, Hades would be killing a half-blood of his brother Poseidon and if mythology was anything to go by then he took great pleasure in doing that too.

"I need to tell my brother and father about this immediately" Rias said standing up. This was too important to let fall to the wayside. If Hades was actively trying to kill her peerage she knew they wouldn't stand a chance against him. The god was considered one of the strongest beings in existence for a reason after all.

Percy stood up them and grabbed hold of Rias' arms as she began forming a Magic Circle.

"I can't let you do that Rias. It would cause far too many problems as I mentioned earlier. My father and the council are already dealing with it." He said grimacing again. Rias guessed that however they were dealing with it wasn't the best way.

The redhead shook her head at him. "I have to tell him Percy. Regardless of what your father is doing, Hades is far too powerful to just ignore and hope the problem goes away. My brother and father will know what to do."

Percy then pulled Rias away from her magic breaking her concentration in forming the circle. He looked into her eyes and pleaded with her not to go.

"Please, Rias. Don't go. I promise you that I'm handling the situation right now."

Rias wasn't swayed though. They couldn't let this play out by chance. If she could have actively done something to prevent the situation from escalating further and didn't then she wouldn't be able to forgive herself.

"I'm sorry Percy but I have to. Look, come with me and we can work this out together. My brother can help you. I know Leviathan was trying to negotiate with your uncle before school started and maybe we can work something out that is best for everyone."

Percy looked torn about something. It was as if he didn't want to go with her but at the same time wanted to. She could see conflicting emotions on his face and couldn't help but rest a hand on his cheek. He leaned into the embrace slightly but didn't make any other movements.

"Asia" Rias continued looking into Percy's eyes.

"Yes President" Asia said watching the scene before her.

"I want you to go home and get some rest ok. In the morning when Sally and Paul wake up you tell them that Percy is with me and we're talking about his past. Sally should hopefully know what to make of that." The devil said thinking back to her encounter with the woman at the hospital.

Asia stepped up then and gave Percy a big hug which caught both Rias and him by surprise as she seemed somewhat hesitant about him since finding out about his father.

"I'll do it" Asia said to Rias. "And don't worry Percy, the President can help work everything out. You're still the same Percy as before and nothing's changed that for me."

Percy looked to be struggling to say something but nothing came out of his mouth. Instead Asia formed a Magic Circle of her own and vanished back to her bedroom at their house.

"Are you ready?" Rias asked as he continued to watch her. She used her powers to form the circle directly beneath their feet and directed it to take them to her parent's mansion in Hell.

Percy shook his head.

"No. I still think this is a very bad idea."

Rias gave him a small smile at that. "Well you just leave the thinking to me then alright. I promised to take care of you when I resurrected you and I intend to follow through on that promise. It'll all work out."

The King tried to speak with such confidence that her Pawn would agree with her. She wasn't going to lie; this situation had just become significantly far more dangerous than she could ever possibly imagine but this was the best path to take.

"For everyone's sake I hope you're right Rias" he said as the circle starting glowing. "Otherwise the repercussions of what we're doing are going to destroy a lot of people."

His words resonated in her mind as she too had the same fear. She tried not to let it show though. Instead she simply said "we'll handle whatever happens together. I'm your King and I promised to watch over you. We'll get through this."

 _I hope so_ she thought one last time as her circle took them into Hell and hopefully solutions awaited.

 **AN:**

 **Hey all. Here's another chapter. We finally see Percy and Rias have the conversation about his demigod heritage. Or at least sort of. Plus we're deviating from the plot a bit here. How will the devils take to Percy's new status? You'll have to find out in the next chapter.**

 **And let me just say that trying to rhyme is annoying as Hades. Seriously, whoever thought that was a good idea was an idiot.**

 **I do want to thank everyone for all the reviews though. It's always great to hear from you guys about what you do and don't like about the story. With that said, I do have a question for you all. What do you think about the chapter lengths? I feel I've ended writing a bit more than necessary at times. My original goal was to publish chapters that are about 6K-10k in length depending on what's happened but I've definitely gone over that limit. Do you all enjoy reading the longer chapters or does it feel too tedious at times? I know a few reviews have said so and I think that's a fair criticism so I'm just trying to get a feel from everyone.**

 **Alright, and now on to the big news. I've joined a discord server! Now, any of you can ask any questions or comment about the story if you hop in the server and talk with me and some of your fellow authors directly. Authors such as nutsofthechest, Lonixa, justsmileandwaveboys, Jbubu, and delayedinspiration are members of the server. I'm always happy to talk to my readers and the server is a growing happening place.**

 **The server is 7HPmH6G. Come and join us and talk with your favorite authors!**

 **As always, thanks for reading everyone. I look forward to hearing from you all and remember to keep an eye out on my profile for the next anticipated chapter release.**

 **Stormwreckin**


	20. Chapter 17: The Fiancé

**AN: Hey all, here's another chapter for you to sink your teeth into. Also, I want to let you all know that I have Joined a discord server! Questions that I know you have will be answered there! Have you ever wondered why I gave Percy a blessing from Aphrodite? Will Percy finally get with one of the girls? How is Annabeth's role impacting the story? Maybe you just want to know what the update schedule is going to be. Or perhaps you want to vent your anger at me because I had Raynare kill Percy and stole Dulio's Sacred Gear. Well you're in luck! If you join the discord server - invite . gg / immortalsgathering (no spaces) - then you can come and talk to me about whatever you like in the story. We have a fairly active following so far and there are some great authors a part of the group. Writers such as Lonixa, Finding Providence, al red, and many more are active and eager to communicate with you guys. So come an join us and find the answers to those deep dark secrets I know you've been dying to ask for a long time. I look forward to talking to you all!**

Chapter 17: The Fiancé

Percy had been to many places in his short life on Earth. He grew up in New York with its ever-present lights and noise pollution. He'd spent many summers in idyllic Camp Half-Blood where the sounds of the roaring Atlantic Ocean met the peaceful serenity of the Strawberry fields. He's crossed both the United States multiple times for his quests and even recently he'd become a world traveler having visited Italy, Greece, and now Japan. Percy had even been fortunate to visit both Olympus and Hades, one of the very few demigods in history to be able to make that claim. And perhaps not so fortunately, he could also claim to be one of three demigods who had traveled and survived Tartarus.

Of every place he's visited though, he could honestly say Hell was absolutely nothing like he imagined it would be.

When he first appeared in Hell next to Rias he expected the atmosphere to be similar to Hades realm. Cold, desolate, barren. As diverse as Hades was with Elysium, the Fields of Asphodel, and the Fields of Punishment, there was always this overbearing sense of sadness from its inhabitants. Elysium seemed the liveliest group considering that's where all the heroes went and everyone seemed happy there but outside those gates was the ever-looming darkness that claims the masses who never could achieve glory in their lives.

Instead, Hell seemed active and excited in a way that Hades never could be.

The sky was black just like Earth's was and Percy found himself standing in front of a fairly large mansion with most of the lights turned off. There were trees and fields surrounding the house that reminded him a bit of the Big House at Camp if the Big House was 2 stories taller and had probably 30 more rooms and hallways. A path of fountains lined the walkway behind him and Rias and the lampposts were all lit up giving off a light glow. Four massive columns, not quite the same Grecian columns that held up Percy's home, stood erect creating a pathway to the front door.

"What on Earth…" Percy said taking in his surroundings.

Rias let out a small chuckle. "I think you meant to say 'What on Hell'"

Even with the hour being as late as it was Rias only looked slightly tired. Her red hair glowed with the light from the lampposts and seemed an ever darker red than usual. She began walking forward giving Percy no choice but to follow her.

As she opened the large wooden door Percy got his first look into the Devil's mansion. The hallway was lit dimly for the night time but Percy's devil eyes allowed him to see everything quite easily.

A long corridor led from the front door to a crossroads at the end branching off either right or left. Tall windows lined up the left side of the hallway while wall sconces and the occasional painting decorated the right. It was a bit eerie actual and reminded Percy a little of Westover Hall in Maine; just without the weapons and suits of armor. Then again, they probably had some of those around the mansion somewhere too.

Ever step Percy and Rias took let out a small noise that reverberated throughout the hallway. Inside, his stomach was roiling around begging him to immediately turn back and leave this place as fast as he could. His instincts were going haywire with the sheer level of monster presence he could detect in the home. Percy gulped loudly adding even more noise to his quickening footsteps.

Without realizing it, Percy found himself walking right next to Rias looking in every possible direction. His ADHD was in hyperdrive right now and he found his body involuntarily tensing itself as if he was ready for an attack.

Rias must have realized something was wrong with him because the next thing Percy knew she had wrapped her arm around his interlocking them. She began speaking soothing words that helped to calm him down slightly.

"Shh" she said quietly. "It's alright. Nobody here will hurt you. You are a member of my peerage regardless of who you are. You're ok here Percy. You're ok."

She kept repeating those words over and over again gradually getting softer and softer in tone. With each passing phrase he felt his body begin loosening its coiled muscles until he was almost completely relaxed.

Rias knew exactly where she was going and led Percy down hallway after hallway. She avoided the maids and butlers entirely when she felt him retense his body slightly at hearing a maid in an upcoming corridor cleaning something. It gave Percy some assurance that he wouldn't needlessly be attacked as he was making his way to wherever they were going.

After going up two flights of stairs and pausing momentarily to look down a hallway Rias let out a small sigh.

"It appears my parents are asleep tonight and my brother is not currently home. We'll have to hold this off until the morning." The frustration could be heard in her voice though it was weak. Percy guessed she didn't really want to have to deal with this any more than he did.

"Come along" she said once again pulling him down a separate hallway. "We'll go to bed for now."

Percy just nodded his head and kept his arm tightly wrapped in hers.

As the demigod was backtracking with Rias he took in more and more of the mansion though never letting his senses down completely. They passed some very old paintings of older people, or more probably devils. Most had the blood red hair that Rias seemed to have leading Percy to think that they were most likely ancestors of hers. They past some suits of armor – _yup just like I thought_ _they would have_ Percy thought – but more commonly past some desks and chairs that lined up in the halls. Most were a deep, vibrant red that matched the carpeting.

Soon enough Percy and Rias stopped just outside another door. There didn't seem to be anything special about this one but when Rias opened it Percy knew that was far from the truth. There were no lights on to illuminate the surroundings but it didn't take a genius to figure out that this room must have been Rias'.

Rias strode right in pulling Percy along with her and flicked on the lights. A large, four post, king size bed sat in the middle of the back wall with dark red drapes hanging from the tops. A sheer lace curtain was draped over the four posts offering some privacy for the sleeper. Two windows lined the far-left wall shining a strange demonic moonlight into the room and a huge walk in closet was opposite them filled with clothes and shoes of all styles.

"Erm… nice room" Percy said awkwardly. He had only ever been in Asia's room at his home and Annabeth's bunk while at camp. He wondered briefly if him being in Rachel's room while dreaming before the Titan war counted but broke off that thought when Rias gave him a smile and started undressing.

"Woah!" Percy said turning away and bringing his hands in front of his face. Well mostly turning away, he was still a guy and Rias was definitely beautiful. "What the Hades are you doing!?"

Rias paused briefly giving him a quizzical look before she continued with her undressing.

"I'm getting ready for bed. I already told you that I prefer sleeping in the nude."

Percy felt his face heat up considerably when he heard the sound of her skirt falling to the ground. He opened his fingers up just slightly and saw the black lace thong she was wearing fall into the growing pile of clothes she was gathering at her feet. He snapped them close before she could see he managed to sneak a peek.

"Umm…" he said hesitantly. "I'm just going to go and get another room down the hall then. Sleep well Rias." He began backing up toward the door until he felt Rias grab him by the hand and pull him close to her.

"None of the guest rooms are prepared" she said quietly. Her mouth was only inches from Percy's ear and he could feel her hot breath on his skin. "And all the rooms nearby belong to the staff. You can stay with me tonight. Now come on, get ready for sleep."

Percy felt her slowly pull away form him and he heard the soft pitter patter of her dainty feet make their way to her bed. A gently creak groaned out from the bed when Percy heard Rias pull her comforter and sheets down and get tucked in.

The demigod was torn with what to do now. He supposed he could ignore Rias and go out into the hallway looking for another place to sleep. His monster senses were still running haywire so he didn't think that was a good choice. And if he was honest, he didn't really want to come across any other devils right then without Rias for backup. It could end badly for everyone.

Percy also supposed he could sleep on the floor. He took a quick look down and noticed that it was all hardwood meaning it wouldn't be that comfortable. But Percy's slept out on the ground in the forest, in a prison in the Underworld, even on the glassy ground of Tartarus and the hardwood wouldn't be that bad in comparison. Or he could give in to what he secretly wanted and sleep on the comfortable bed next to Rias.

"Let's get some sleep Percy" the tired voice of Rias said to him. It was as if those words were a trigger because the next thing Percy knew he was taking off all his clothes except his boxers and climbing into the bed next to his King.

"Mhmm" the redhead mumbled softly as Percy settled down next to her. She pulled him tight next to her and he could feel a leg drape over his. "Goodnight Percy" Rias said softly; her words losing comprehension as she drifted off to slumber. It was a just as long a day for Rias as it had been for Percy so it didn't surprise him that the Devil drifted off to sleep as quickly as she did. He found himself chuckling softly before settling down to sleep himself.

* * *

 _Percy found himself back in the one place he never wanted to visit again: Tartarus. He could barely breath with the sulphuric air infecting his lungs and he noticed that he was barefoot with the glass sand ripping up his feet. His clothes were mostly gone leaving him in only a severely tattered shirt barely held together by five or six threads and his pants now looked like extreme short shorts. They were so short he could see the bottom end of his Fruit of the Loom boxers sticking out of end._

 _It seemed there was a reason his clothes were so bad though because everywhere Percy looked he saw strips of his shirt and pants wrapped around wounds throughout his body. One pant leg covered the entirety of his right arm and was blocking a large wound that stretched from elbow to hand. It must have been bleed profusely as the black blood was still visible on his arms and was soaked through the pants. A few strips of shirt were wrapped around large, but shallow cuts on his legs though one did cover the left side of his forehead. It didn't quite cover his eye but it must have been very close if Percy wrapped the wound this tightly._

" _Come on Seaweed Brain" a hoarse voice said to the side of him._

 _He found himself wiping his tired body as quickly as it could only to see Annabeth in just as rough a shape as he was. Her clothes were mostly gone too though her athletic bra appeared to be completely intact still. She hobbled a bit as if her injured leg still wasn't 100 percent healed from her fight with Arachne._

" _Where-" he began only to succumb to a fit of coughing. His body was rejecting the poisonous air and his coughs only made it worse as he tried to gulp in more air to get himself under control only to give in to more coughing. It was a vicious cycle of back and forth and didn't let up until he found Annabeth rubbing his back gently._

" _It's alright Seaweed Brain" the blonde said softly. "We're almost to Misery now. Just a little further and we can get the Death Mist." She tried to say that with as much optimism as possible though it really only came out as tired and pained._

 _Percy nodded remembering now. Bob and Damasen had said that they could get the Death Mist from her which would hide them from all Monsters and allow them to get to the Doors of Death. Despite her being a primordial being they didn't have much choice if they didn't want to fight their way to the Doors._

" _We'll do it Wise Girl" Percy found himself saying back to her. It felt good to say call Annabeth that again even if it was a dream. "We can do anything together." He tried giving her his famous smirking grin to which she smiled slightly back. It was minor but here in the Pit any sign of happiness was a win as far as Percy was concerned. Together, Percy and Annabeth walked a few hundred steps more._

" _What do we have here?" an eerie voice said from behind them. Percy and Annabeth both turned around as fast as possible, weapons brandished, only to come into contact with the most pitiful woman Percy had ever seen._

 _Standing in front of the demigods was a pale, emaciated woman looking like she was suffering from famine. Her cheeks were hollow, her eyes sunken deep into their sockets. The grey hair on her head was stringy and falling out leaving part of her scalp exposed and spotted brown. Her dripping nose caused Percy to wipe his own quickly in reflex and she had tears leaking down her face._

 _It seemed they found Akhlys, the goddess of Misery._

" _Umm… hello?" Percy said not knowing what else to say right then. Honestly it looked like she needed their help more than they needed hers._

 _The goddess chuckled quietly though it sounded very painful coming from her frail body._

" _I can feel the sadness in you two from miles away. Your hopelessness is like a beacon giving way to misery. It's always nice to meet people suffering from my afflictions."_

" _Lady Akhlys" Annabeth said deferentially, "it's a pleasure to meet you"_

" _I should certainly hope not" Akhlys growled angrily._

 _Percy quickly jumped in hoping to draw the goddess' attention away from his girlfriend. "What she means is that it is a pleasure to meet someone who is suffering from misery as much as we are."_

 _Akhlys eyes drifted from Annabeth's to his own and flashed with some emotion momentarily before they reverted back to their usual hopelessness._

" _Mhmm" the goddess acknowledged. "It has been a long time since I have last seen your kind. Tell me, what purpose do you have to seek me out?"_

 _Percy gulped as she spoke. The way she said "your kind" didn't make him think she was talking about demigods. The goddess was mostly ignoring Annabeth at this point though his Wise Girl seemed content to let him handle the situation for some reason._

" _We're hoping that you can give us the Death Mist."_

 _Akhlys hummed. "The Death Mist you say. Hmm, yes, I can bestow that on you. But why should I? You're suffering right now is exactly what makes me stronger."_

 _Annabeth decided to jump back in then._

" _We need to make it to the Doors of Death. Your Death Mist will allow us to get there safely." Her grey eyes looked at Akhlys fiercely and she wasn't going to take no for an answer. It was a look Percy had been on the receiving end many times before._

" _Safely?" the Goddess of Misery asked incredulously. "Now why should I care that you get to the Doors of Death safely. As I already said, you're both suffering quite a bit from misery right now. I quite like you like this. It makes me feel better." She again chuckled at the sadistic thoughts._

 _Percy didn't know what to say to that. Akhlys was right. Both him and Annabeth were already miserable and didn't think they could get more so. She didn't have any reason whatsoever to help them._

 _Fortunately, Annabeth came up with something. Probably the only thing that might work really._

" _Yes but think of all the misery you'd experience from the monsters when they find out we've escaped Tartarus. If we die down here then they will feel happy and excited at our demise but if we manage to escape then they'll be upset and miserable for years to come. It's a much better option for you if you think about it."_

 _And think about it the goddess did as she suddenly grew contemplative. Her eyes got a faraway look to them and she mumbled a few words quietly to herself before she smiled at them._

 _Percy felt himself smile too as it seemed Annabeth's planned worked. He turned slightly to look at his beautiful girlfriend and saw her smiling back at him._

 _At least until they heard Akhlys speak that was._

" _No." she said at last. The hope that Percy and Annabeth felt at possibly escaping was just crushed into hundreds of tiny pieces leaving nothing but anger and despair and, yes, misery._

" _Why not?" Annabeth asked indignantly. She held her Drakon bone sword tightly in her hand but didn't raise it against the goddess just yet._

 _Akhlys laughed loudly this time. Her tears splashed off her face and her hoarse voice sounded scratchier than ever._

" _Because it is far better than to torture you myself" the goddess exclaimed. As she finished talking a field of flowers and plants sprang up all around her. He saw Nightshade and Hemlock and Foxglove. Most Percy didn't recognize but the ones he did left little doubt that these were all deadly poisonous._

" _You see, I'm not only the Goddess of Misery, you ignorant girl. I'm also the Goddess of Poisons. I think watching you suffer for years down here from my poisons will give me all the Misery I could want out of the two of you."_

 _With a tiny flick of her wrist, Akhlys transformed the flowers into a boiling concoction of poison. It was a vibrant green color that had steam smoking off the top and as it made its way all around Percy and Annabeth he heard the ground hiss and corrode._

" _Percy!" Annabeth shouted desperately. Percy turned to look at her and saw that she was breaking down finally. Tears streaked down her face as she watched the poison close in around them knowing that there was nothing she could do. She would suffer down here exactly as Akhlys planned and there was nothing she could do about it._

 _Looking at his Wise Girl was the most heartbreaking thing he'd ever seen. She was his rock, his anchor, the one person he could always count on for anything. And now she looked ready to give up._

" _No!" Percy roared loudly. He shoved his left arm out and felt deep inside him for his power. Closing his eyes, he concentrated the hardest he had ever done in his life forcing, urging, begging his powers to obey him in this instance. He felt a barrier deep inside him preventing him from using the power he needed but he couldn't give up right then. The poison was getting closer by the second and he had to protect Annabeth._

 _He screamed loudly as he battered down the barrier feeling it break. It was like glass shattering all around his soul as he could sense water everyone suddenly. The air had extremely minute levels of water in them but he didn't think he would be able to manipulate them to any kind of extent. He felt the water flowing in both Annabeth and the ichor in Akhlys but those were sources he had easy access to and so couldn't manipulate them._

 _But what he found he could manipulate was the poison itself. It was mostly made up of water and so he turned it back to its creator without thinking about it._

" _What?" Akhlys said stopping her laughing. "What are you doing!?"_

 _The goddess began taking a few steps slowly backwards but Percy wasn't having that. He quickly commanded the water to surround Akhlys much like it was doing to Percy and Annabeth not moments ago._

" _No!" Misery shouted in despair. "No! Please! Don't do this! Please! I beg you!" With each passing word she began wailing and crying ever more so._

 _Then the poison reached her._

" _AhhhHHHHHH!" The goddess screamed out loud. As the poison touched her atrophied body it burned and hissed loudly giving off a sickly rotten smell. "NOOO! YOU MONSTER! PLEA-" her words were cut off into gurgling noises as Percy forced the poison up her body and into her mouth._

Monster? _Percy thought to himself. Somehow that seemed so wrong but also so right. As he watched Akhlys drown in her own poison he felt a pair of wings sprout from his back ripping away the rest of his shirt. He didn't even pause to look at them knowing them made him who he was._

" _You should have just given us the Death Mist" Percy said coldly. He wasn't taunting her nor was he in a joking around kind of mood. This was him telling her straight out that she fucked up and was paying the price for it now._

 _Her eyes bulged one last time before her entire body shuttered uncontrollably and she died. Percy felt the water in her body stop moving and the poison in her veins eat away at her insides. It was gruesome for the few moments he noticed it before she burst into golden dust signifying she was dead._

 _Percy heaved a giant sigh of relief and a small smile adorned his face. They were still stuck in Tartarus and didn't have any way to get the Death Mist now but at least there was one less goddess who was out trying to get them._

 _Percy turned around to look at Annabeth when he felt a small prick pierce his chest. Annabeth was standing in front of him looking at him with a terrified expression. Her cheeks were streaked with tear lines and the occasional tear still flowed down it but her eyes themselves told him all he needed to know. They were huge and frightened and he knew in that moment that it was because she was scared of him._

 _He looked down to see what had caused the prick and saw an ivory sword sticking out from his chest leading up to her hands._

" _Wise Girl?" he questioned completely confused. He collapsed to his knees causing her sword to rip up his body before it was yanked unceremoniously from him._

" _You're a monster" she said quietly. Her eyes were taking him in and as scared as she was Percy now also saw the fierceness that caused him to fall in love with her in the first place._

" _Wha-" he tried to question only to cough up blood. He once again fell into a fit of coughing though this time Annabeth made no move to assist him._

" _You're a Monster!" she said angrily. "You just tortured and killed Akhlys. And those wings! How could you do this to me Percy? How could you become a monster!?"_

" _I'm… not a… mon… monster" he struggled to get out continuing to cough up blood. Percy couldn't hold his kneeling position any longer and collapsed entirely onto the ground then._

" _Yes, you are Percy! You're a monster now! You're a monster and I hate you!" she exclaimed while once again crying._

" _Wise… Girl…" he tried to say. He wanted to tell her that he wasn't a monster. He never hurt mortals or anyone, he didn't go about corrupting people like some monsters did. And he was just defending them from Akhlys. He didn't torture her. He killed her to protect Annabeth and himself._

 _Before he could even get another word out though he felt another stab from her sword._

" _You're a monster!" she yelled will another stab._

 _More tears streaked down her face._

" _You're a monster!" Stab._

" _You're a monster!" Stab._

" _You're a monster!" Stab again._

" _You're a monster!" Stab through the heart._

 _And as Percy finally died from his wounds he couldn't help but wonder if he really was a monster after all._

* * *

"No" the voice of Percy muttered. "No please. I'm not a monster. Please, Wise Girl. I'm not a monster"

Rias had woken up a few moments ago to kicking and mumbling from her bedmate. She was enjoying a wonderful dream where she didn't have responsibilities to her family and could just enjoy time with her friends when a big kick from Percy hit her in the leg. He was having a nightmare of some kind and he was struggling terribly from it.

"Percy" Rias said gently. The light from the sun was beginning to peek through the windows and it was only a matter of time before everyone was up and about. Then she'd have to explain everything to her family.

"Percy, it's ok." Rias said in a soothing voice. She ran a hand softly through his sleek hair and felt the sweat coating his forehead. The dream must be a terrible one to leave him in such a state as this.

"I'm here for you Percy. You're not a monster. It's ok. Wake up now Percy." She gave him a soft shake to his body and before she could pull back he sprang up from the bed looking around wildly. He was panting hard and the comforter fell down showing off his sweating chest.

"What's going on?" Percy asked when he saw that she was next to him. Even though the blankets had fallen off and revealed their naked bodies he didn't seem to even notice right then.

"Shh" she said pulling him gently back to lay down on the bed. "You were having a nightmare. It's alright now though. You're here and you're safe and most importantly you are not a monster."

Percy tensed up momentarily and looked into her eyes before he let out a large sigh. He turned his head to look at the ceiling and she found herself wishing he'd turn back to look at her so she could get lost in those swirling orbs once more.

"I'm sorry if I woke you" he said at last. He sounded like he had run a marathon rather than get a few hours rest.

Rias pulled his head so they were looking at each other before she smiled at him. "It's alright. It's almost time for us to get up anyway." She paused to give him a minute and then followed up with "do you want to talk about it?"

She knew he knew she was talking about the nightmare. She gave him the most sympathetic look she could muster and she thought momentarily that he would indeed talk about the dream. He opened his mouth a few times to begin speaking but eventually just settled down and shook his head no.

Rias hummed in acknowledgment. "Ok. If you change your mind I'm here for you. You can tell me anything Percy. I hope you know that." She rested her head back down on his chest not caring that it was covered in sweat.

Under normal circumstances she knew he'd probably blush and stutter with the close contact but this time he continued laying back and staring off into the ceiling, deep in thought. She found herself drawing shapes and pictures on his chest with her finger not caring one wit about the position she was in either even if it could cause major problems for her family.

 _I can't go and ruin my reputation_ she thought bitterly remembering just why it was so important.

And that's when an idea hit her.

Without really thinking, Rias turned her head slightly and decided to kiss Percy's muscular chest. He didn't seem to notice it so she did it again. And then again. With each successive kiss Rias found herself making a line up from his heart to his neck.

Now that caught Percy's attention and he tensed up.

"Rias" he said deeply. There were hints of hesitation in his tone but he sounded very unsure of anything right then. Maybe she was taking slight advantage of him with his nightmare not long ago but this was something they both wanted and needed. She had seen him checking her out when he thought she wasn't looking and this would help distract him from his deep thoughts. Plus, this would help solve her Riser problem so it seemed like a win-win for everyone. Not to mention that her Pawn was very attractive.

"Yes Percy?" she said with the sexiest voice she could. Rias knew she succeeded when she felt a tingle shiver down his body.

"What-" he began saying only to pause and wet his lips. "What are you doing?"

Rias continued with a few soft kisses up his neck and coming close to his lips. She had virtually no experience with this kind of thing but Percy was responding to her better than she could ever have imagined.

"I need you to take me Percy" the devil said seductively. "I need you to take my virginity and I need you to do it right now."

Ok that might have been coming on a little strong but Rias wasn't anything but a strong, assertive woman. And Percy did seem like the type who needed things spelled out for him most of the time.

She found that he had frozen up and decided to take the reins herself for the moment. Rias was sure that once they started getting into it Percy would relax and begin to let things go naturally. Climbing over him she straddled his legs and felt him growing through the boxers he wore to bed.

"Rias" Percy said completely shocked. "This is… really sudden. Not to mention that we are in your house with your parents probably just down the hall."

He was nervous. Rias felt extremely grateful right then because she was beyond nervous herself. If she remembered right then he too was a virgin so this would probably be a bit quick and messy but it would serve her purpose.

"Afraid my mom will come barging in like yours did?" she teased gently. Her mother would be very disappointed in her she knew but she wouldn't take it out on Percy when she found out it was Rias' fault. The only wild card was his status as a demigod. She didn't think that would matter to her parents but there was a chance Poseidon might have an issue with it.

"Neither of us might have much experience with this but I'm sure we can figure out something that works for us" she taunted him while grinding her pelvis against his. He let out a soft moan at the contact and his reluctant attitude seemed to be shifting finally.

"Why don't we start with something simple" she said and grabbed Percy's hand. It was grabbing the bedsheets something fierce and prying his fingers loose was difficult but when it was free she brought it up to her chest and let him grope her breast.

"Ohhh" she moaned softly. She had of course experimented slightly with her body before and this wasn't the first time her breasts had been touched but the firm hold that Percy had on her right then felt invigorating. She could feel the rough callouses from his years of swordplay but they were gentle on her never feeling painful or rough.

"I" he tried to say but trailed off not knowing what exactly to say. Rias closed her eyes and threw her head back feeling him rub strongly against her responding body.

They were both getting worked up now and they knew it. But there was still one thing preventing them from going further: the boxers. Rias looked down at Percy and saw a haze of lust and desire in his stormy eyes and felt a shiver of pleasure shoot down her own body.

"I can't hold back anymore. I don't want to." Percy said roughly. All inhibitions seemed to leave her Pawn.

Rias couldn't agree more.

As she moved to the side to remove the boxers, there wasn't any more hesitation from either of them. They both wanted this and they both knew it. In one quick move the underwear was gone leaving them both completely naked and wanting.

Rias felt her mouth dry up in anticipation. "Please Percy" she said at last. Whether she was asking for him to stop, not stop, or be gentle with her Rias didn't think she'd ever quite know for sure.

Percy nodded and began kneeling in a more comfortable position for them.

"Are you ready?" he said looking at her with lust but more surprisingly care. She could see that he wanted her to enjoy this as much as she could.

Rias nodded.

Percy gave her a reassuring smile. "Alright. Here I - "

But before Percy could even think about finishing the job the door to her room swung wide open and there stood the form of Grayfia, her brothers Queen. She was wearing her typical blue and white French Maids outfit and her silver hair was in their usual braids.

"Really Rias? A lowborn? You do realize Sirzechs is going to be terribly disappointed in you."

Percy quickly scrambled off Rias jumping back under the sheets.

"What the Hades! I knew this was going to happen. This always happens damnit! And who's Sirzechs?"

Rias slowly rose off the bed and made her way over to Grayfia not caring one wit that Percy could see everything.

"She's talking about my older brother. And who we need to talk to this morning." She said giving Percy a small smile. Then she turned to glare at Grayfia.

"My virtue is mine to give to whom I want. Nobody, not even my parents or brother can dictate that. And another thing" she said forcefully, "I will not allow anyone to call my honored servants a lowborn. I don't care if you're my brother's Queen or not." She made sure that Grayfia understood the situation clearly.

She heard Percy grumble "I'm not a servant" in the background.

For a moment Grayfia didn't say anything but then she suddenly gave a small bow and acknowledged Rias.

"Noted." She said softly. Rias just nodded as if that was expected.

"Now, why are you here Rias? Your parents and brother have already been notified and are quite curious as to why you came home."

All the self-assuredness Rias felt a few moments ago vanished like water in a well during a draught. The Queen was eyeing Rias questioningly but hadn't acknowledged her Pawn yet.

"As I mentioned a moment ago," Rias said, "I need to talk to my brother. Something has come up and is very urgent."

Grayfia gave her an odd look before raising an eyebrow slightly. Then she turned and got a really good look at Percy for the first time and Rias saw her face blanch white.

"My Lady! Stand back!" Grayfia said loudly before she pulled Rias behind her and glared hard at Percy. For Percy's part he just sighed heavily as if he was expecting this.

A dark red magic circle began forming in front of Grayfia and Rias recognized it as a spell to cast fire. Grayfia wasn't acknowledged as the Strongest Queen for no reason. Her blast could severely damage Percy or maybe even kill him.

"No!" Rias said running in front of the magic. Grayfia looked at her in confusion before she seemed to fully grasp the situation.

"Oh Rias" Grayfia said quietly dropping her magic. "What in the Devil's name did you do?"

"It's kind of a long story" she said barely meeting her eye.

Percy snorted not the least bit worried he was about to be attacked by Grayfia.

The Silver-Haired Queen of Annihiliation just sighed heavily.

"I'll go call your brother. This might explain a bit that's happened in the Underworld recently."

And with that Grayfia turned around and left.

* * *

"And then I made my pact with my Familiar. I spoke my oath in front of Rias so she could figure it out and now here we are." Percy finished looking distinctly uncomfortable in the presence of her brother and parents. Grayfia had gone back to cleaning the house but Rias suspected that she was around here somewhere listening in to the conversation.

Seated directly across from Percy and Rias were her brother, Sirzechs, and her parents, Zeoticus and Venelana. Her family all had long hair much like she did but where her brothers was a similar blood red to her own, her father had a more brighter red, like a fire truck. Her mother, coming from the Bael Family, had brunette hair that seemed to make her violet eyes pop as was typical of Devils from that family.

All were dressed in relatively causal wear for them; which really meant that instead of tightly buttoned suits and a fancy dress in the medieval style they were wearing loose suits and a light flowery dress in the medieval style. All three of them had lived for over a thousand years but none looked a day past their twenties. Rias supposed her father might have appeared to be around thirty but no older than that.

"And where does seducing and sleeping with my daughter come into the picture?" Zeoticus said when Percy was finished. Rias thought he sounded sterner than he usually was but she saw the small sparkle in her father's eye. He was giving Percy a hard time and by the ghostly white face and sputtering of words coming out of Percy's mouth she knew he was succeeding.

"Father" Rias said after smiling at Percy. Her Pawn turned to give her a bewildered look but she gave him a small pat on the arm and took over control of the explanation. "It was my idea. I seduced Percy and was planning on sleeping with him. Don't blame him."

"Rias hun" her mother said soothingly. She too could see how uncomfortable Percy was and was helping her daughter try to ease him. "Why would you do this? You know you must remain pure for-"

Rias cut her off. "I know mother. And that's exactly why I did this. As I told Grayfia this morning, I will choose who I want to be with. You didn't even give me the choice of who I could be with." She added with anger in her voice.

Beside her Percy shifted uncomfortably not really knowing what was going on.

"I have had this arrangement set up since you were a little girl Rias. You knew this was coming." Her father said looking at her. "In fact, he is coming later today. When he heard you were here he just had to see you."

Rias growled, upset by that news.

"You said your name was Percy Jackson?" the voice of her brother cut in suddenly. Sirzechs hadn't said a word this entire time leaving the situation up to her parents but it seemed that was at an end. Her brother's blue eyes pierced her Pawns trying to assess him entirely.

"Yes?" Percy said making it sound a question. It was the first thing he did when he met them all: introduced himself.

"Hmm" Sirzechs said leaning back on the couch. He brought his hand up to his chin and gave a small rub deep in thought. Percy turned to look at her but she shrugged not really knowing what he was thinking.

"Is it true what I've heard?" he brother asked after a few minutes. Percy raised an eyebrow not really sure where he was going with this line of questioning.

"I've heard many things over the past few years concerning America. There was one rumor in particular a few years ago that your Uncle's Master Bolt was stolen and then returned by his nephew. It seemed farfetched at the time as whenever we see Zeus he's always carrying that bronze around like it was the only child he cared about."

Percy snorted and gave a small laugh. His smile broke through then and Rias thought that it was a very nice smile even if it looked a bit like a troublemaker's smile.

"My uncle isn't always the best at keeping track of things." He said diplomatically. It didn't seem like he was going to answer further but his earlier laughing and his vague answer seemed to be good enough to clarify for her brother.

"You found and retrieved your uncle's weapon?" the voice of her mother said then addressing Percy. He looked torn as if he really wanted to answer her but after a moment of gaping like a fish he nodded his head while speaking.

"I don't really think it wise for me to talk too much about my family, My Lady. They're already upset at me enough as it is."

Rias looked at him and saw he was constantly fidgeting under the looks of her family. He pulled out his pen, the one that turned into a sword, and began spinning it back and forth in his hands trying to ease his discomfort.

"And now you are a devil thanks to Rias here" Zeoticus said in uncharacteristic stoicism. Her father was usually a welcoming man but Percy's status as a demigod/devil left them at a loss. Sirzechs seemed to be connecting some kind of dots together but he hadn't said anything.

Fortunately, her mother's calming presence and easy-going demeanor wasn't put off by the news Rias resurrected another pantheon's member. Venelana was just as happy to have Percy in their home as if he were any other person and that seemed to help relax Percy despite what her father and brother were saying. Even with this mornings incident in the bedroom she didn't hold it against Percy.

"Why does that even matter?" Rias asked unsure of things. She knew from Percy that his family was pissed off that he was brought back as a devil, or maybe event that he was killed in the first place – she couldn't be sure-, but she didn't understand the why.

Her brother cleared his throat drawing everyone's attention before he began speaking.

"The Olympians are… fairly territorial." He said while giving Percy a small smile. The demigod scoffed as if that was saying it politely. "Us, along with the Angels, have had a sort of unspoken agreement with them for thousands and thousands of years to stay out of each other's business. I still remember how furious they were with the Angels when they converted the Pantheon into a church" he said with a small laugh.

"Ok" Rias said slowly. She could understand them being upset that she brought Percy back to life but she still didn't understand why the entire world would be in danger as Percy had said in his explanation. She voiced her question aloud but rather than Percy answering as she expected, her brother answered instead.

"Hades had most to do with it if I made a guess." A quick look and nod from Percy indicated that was true. "Which also explains why when Serafall went to continue their negotiations he threw her out without further discussion. He probably threatened war with us."

Percy blanched once again but didn't move or acknowledge anything. Her brother raised an eyebrow looking for something but when didn't move in the slightest her brother continued with his thoughts.

"Hades would surely want to kill you for a host of reasons. Just you being a devil is good enough for him. Has he or anyone else made any kind of outward threat towards you?" he asked Rias.

She tried to think back over the past few weeks since Percy was brought into her peerage but nothing really jumped out at her. At least until Percy spoke aloud.

"I'm fairly certain he sent the Hydra after us. At least that was what he implied when I last saw him."

Rias thought back to that encounter in the park and could remember the monster quite vividly. She had faced some difficult opponents in her few years on Earth but the Hydra was definitely in the top 15 or 10. If Percy wasn't there she knew there was a good chance she wouldn't have made it out alive.

DING DONG!

The sound of her family's doorbell rang out loudly echoing throughout the home. They all stood as she saw Grayfia scurry down the hall to see who was at the door.

"The Hydra hmm?" her brother said nodding his head. "Yes, that makes sense. You will undoubtedly have to face more in the future. Percy's scent will ensure of that."

"Scent?" Rias asked at a loss. Percy had mentioned something like that before but it never really made sense to her.

Her Pawn actually chuckled at her question. "I felt the same way when I first found out. My scent is basically a monster beacon. Because of my dad, I'm considered pretty powerful and I smell really appetizing to monsters. They attack me hoping to catch me off guard and eat me." He grimaced at that thought.

"You can't smell it Rias?" her mother spoke up stepping close to her. Rias shook her head not really knowing what it was she was supposed to be smelling from him.

Sirzechs stepped up next to her Pawn then and drew him away for a moment. Rias frowned at her Pawn being taken from her but she knew her brother wouldn't harm him. They were engaged in a quiet conversation and Percy looked split between saying something and not saying something. Her brother actually gave him a pat on the back with a small laugh at how white Percy's face had gone at what he said.

Before Rias could try and read what exactly they were saying, her father stepped up in front of her and began instructing her.

"Rias" he said drawing her attention. "Take a deep breath for a moment."

She complied with her fathers wishes though she didn't know where it was going.

"Now" Zeoticus said, "focus on the smells in the room. You're Devil senses will allow you to pick up on the minute scents."

Rias drew a deep breath through her nose letting the rooms smells waft over her. She smelt the lavender scent of her mother standing next to her and the musky smell of her father in front of her. She could pick up the smell of wood polish just recently used to wipe down the coffee table and the smell of a left of scone on a tray on the table. Across the room she could smell the cologne her brother wore.

And then she smelt something completely out of place yet so intoxicating she wanted to be near it constantly. It was like the Ocean had come into her living room with the salty breeze drifting over her entire body. Rias didn't really care too much for the ocean but this smell wasn't overbearing nor was it insignificant either. It was just right and she wanted more of it. Without much thought, she realized that this was Percy's scent that her parents were referring to.

There was something about it that Rias realized she always knew was there. She had never openly acknowledged it but both she and Akeno had mentioned they thought Percy smelt really nice. She just didn't think that he smelled nice because he was a demigod.

She found herself taking in a few more deep breaths much to the amusement of her parents before she blushed not realizing she was doing so.

Percy had nodded his head at Sirzechs before her brother clasped him on the shoulder and led them all back together as one. Her Pawn seemed a bit more at ease now though there was still a hint of uncomfortableness in his posture.

As Rias was about to ask what they were talking about the voice of Grayfia said from the sitting room's entrance.

"My Lords and Ladies. Lord Riser Phenex has arrived to see his fiancé."

Rias grimaced at the thought of seeing Riser but that was nothing compared to the reaction of Percy. His eyes bulged out momentarily before he whipped himself to the door only to see the arrogant strutting of the third son of Lord and Lady Phenex.

"My beloved Rias!" he said with the utmost posh. "I've come all this way to see you. When news spread that you had returned home I just knew that we had to see each other today."

Riser looked much like he usually did, much to Rias' consternation. He was wearing his typical burgundy suit with matching shoes and a white dress shirt only buttoned to midchest. His short blonde hair looked groomed to perfection and his dark blue eyes seemed to be staring at her as if she was his possession already. To her side she heard Percy let out a small growl at the predatory look from Riser.

"And who's mister taller, arrogant and dickish?" he said staring right back at the pure-blooded devil.

Riser sneered for a moment at Percy but quickly dropped it as if her Pawn wasn't worth his time.

"Lady Gremory, Lord Gremory! It's good to see you both. And Lord Lucifer, it's always a pleasure as well." He said walking to the group. Rias didn't notice at first but a small gathering of his peerage had appeared behind him and was now crowding the doorway looking in awe at the elegant sitting room.

"Riser!" her father said extending his hand for the man to shake. "It's good to see you again. How are things with your parents?" he asked politely.

Her fiancé gave an ingratiating smile. "They are doing well. Just as eager for the wedding as I am of course." He said that last part while directing his lustful attention at Rias.

Rias scoffed and turned away not wanting to look at his leering.

Riser tried to take another step closer to Rias with his arms open wide as if ready for a hug when she was black hair flash in front of her blocking him from moving further. Rias blinked a few times but quickly realized that Percy had intercepted the man. She knew her Pawn was strong and brave but she didn't know what would exactly happen if their tempers continued flaring as they seemed to be.

"Move aside Lowborn" Riser said condescendingly. His sneering returned and he looked at Percy as if he was the scum of the Underworld.

"Rias is the only one who can tell me what to do. And even then, that's only sometimes. It's pretty obvious she doesn't want to be anywhere near you so why don't you back off" he said with another growl. She thought the growling had taken on a draconic element in its ferocity though she couldn't be certain.

Her parents didn't make any more to stop what was happening and neither did her brother. All three instead just taking an interest in watching the scene play out in front of them.

Riser seemed a bit surprised that they hadn't done anything concerning Percy but after a quick second he tried to push him aside only to find that Percy had become like an unmovable object. A small spark of fire burst from Riser's hand but Percy didn't even seem phased by the heat instead staring back at him with stormy eyes.

"That's enough Riser" Rias said watching wide-eyed as Percy just stood there. The Phenex's flames were as legendary as the bird they were named after and Rias knew that Percy had to be somewhat affected by them even if he wasn't showing it. Plus, if something were to happen between them they could destroy her mother's sitting room which would definitely not be a good thing. She pulled Percy back away from the burning hand of Riser and stood by his side.

"Let it go already. Why don't you understand? I have no intention of ever marrying you."

Riser looked at her incredulously before giving her a small smile. "But my darling, I can't help but think that your family's circumstances won't allow you to be so selfish."

That was definitely the wrong thing to say to Rias and she let him know it even if her family continued their passiveness.

"I will NOT bring my family to ruin. I AM the next heir of Gremory. And I WILL choose my own husband."

"The lady has made up her mind little bird" Percy said next to her. His taunt succeeded in drawing Riser's ire and he gave another smirk at him. "It's kind of pathetic that you have to force yourself into marrying a woman who wants nothing to do with you actually. Guess that's why all you can do when you're the third son after all."

"Be silent lowborn. You don't have the right to even speak to one such as myself."

He turned his attention back toward Rias.

"You know how important it is for Devils to remain Pureblood. We're still recovering our numbers from the last war. Both your father and brother agreed to this marriage" he said nodding in both men's direction. "They foresaw how important it was with the future of devils in mind."

Percy scoffed.

"What is this? Harry Potter?"

Riser again glared at Percy but didn't rise to the taunt this time.

"My family was too quick to rush into this decision. For the last time Riser, I. Will. Not. Marry. You."

Riser finally closed the final distance between them and grabbed Rias' mouth forcing her to look into his icy blue eyes.

"And for the final time Rias, Riser bears the reputation and name of the House of Phenex. Besmirching our good name is unacceptable."

He began bringing his lips closer to Rias and she found herself unable to pull away from his tight grip on her chin. Rias closed her eyes afraid to look at the seen any longer. She felt nothing but disgust and revulsion at what was about to happen.

A moment that she should treasure and love forever, her very first kiss, was being tarnished and turned into a nightmare she will never forget.

"Humph" the voice of Riser suddenly said and she felt pressure on her chin suddenly let up. When Rias opened her eyes she saw Riser getting up with the help of his peerage a few feet away from her now. Percy was slowly bringing his leg down and she saw that he had taken off his pen's cap and his sword was glowing dimly in the bright room.

"There isn't anything worse in this world than a man who forces himself on a woman" Percy growled fiercely. Rias definitely her an actual dragon growl this time. He looked menacing and ferocious right then glaring down at Riser with hatred in his eyes. This seemed to be something personal to Percy though Rias didn't quite know why.

"How dare you." Riser said softly glaring right back at Percy. "You have the audacity to touch me! Lord Riser Phenex! I'll incinerate you where you stand lowborn!" A small circle of fire appeared in Riser's hands with flames a molten white color.

 _As hot as he can make them_ Rias thought worriedly looking between her Pawn and supposed fiancé.

"Bring it on hothead." Percy again taunted. His Sacred Gear formed on his left arm and he seemed to be gathering something from the air ready for defense.

"That's enough" the voice of Sirzechs said just loudly enough to cut off all other noise. Riser immediately stopped forming his fire though Percy continued his gather for a second until he too released his power.

"I think" Sirzechs continued looking back and forth between Percy, Rias, and Riser, "that if Rias insists on putting her personal preferences before the household than I think she should settle it via a Rating Game. Rias and her peerage against Riser and his."

Rias gave out a small gasp at that. She had talked about rating games with Sona not that long ago and it seemed as if it was foreshadowing now.

"Oh yeah" the voice of Percy said then. He continued glaring at Riser but he looked eager for the fight.

 _He doesn't even know anything about rating games but he's ready to fight for me_ she thought to herself.

Riser seemed shocked momentarily but regained composure soon enough. He stood tall once again and gave Rias a smarmy smile.

"Riser has preformed in many Rating games. I accept this challenge if Rias insists on being stubborn."

His bragging tone made up her mind for her. This was her chance to free herself of the marriage and was in no small part due to Percy practically picking a fight with him. She wasn't going to pass this opportunity up now.

"I accept" she said simple while giving Riser a glare herself.

Riser gave a small laugh before he turned away and began making his way to the door. His peerage followed in his footsteps not making a sound.

"We can discuss the details later Sirzechs" Riser said as his peerage shuffled out. Sirzechs just nodded at him as if that was expected and her brother would give the specifics to them later. As he was leaving the room he sent another leering look Rias' way and began walking out.

"Hey Bird Brain" Percy said causing Riser to turn around one last time. "I'm looking forward to kicking your ass." Riser sniffed at him one last time before he disappeared down the hall and left the mansion.

It was quiet for a few minutes as nobody said anything or even moved. Rias was looking back and forth between her Pawn and her family.

Her father was giving Percy an appraising look as if he had just seen something very interesting. Sirzechs had a similar look though he seemed to be watching Percy and nodded his head as if he just confirmed some suspicion he held. Her mother was looking back and forth between Percy and her with a small smile on her face.

But Percy though had the oddest look of all. He seemed in such deep thought that nobody could break him out of it and his face still held a dark, menacing look to it. It was similar to the fighting face he had when they fought the Hydra but it seemed so much darker at the same time. Rias slowly walked up to him and gently touched his arm successfully drawing his attention.

"Huh?" he asked coming out of his thoughts. His angry look remained but she knew it wasn't directed at her.

"Percy" she said softly, "are you alright?"

He just nodded his head and brought his sword up to his hand and recapped it turning it back into a pen. It was clear he wasn't ok though if the force he used to shove the pen back in his pants pocket was anything to go by.

"Why did you get so angry with Riser?" she asked genuinely wanting to know. It wasn't completely unheard of in devil society for men to be aggressive with women, but the reaction from Percy was something feral and dangerous. She needed to know why he reacted as such.

He didn't say anything for a minute, instead looking deep into her eyes. She found herself noticing that his swirling irises seemed to have flakes of silver in them as if they were seafoam churned up after a terrible storm. He finally took a deep breath and began talking.

"Being a demigod is extremely dangerous. We're hunted down by monsters from a young age because of who we are and our scents give us away." He paused a moment to let that sink in.

"Since the day I was born I was hunted down. I remember my mom saying that I strangled a pair of monster snakes in my crib when I was only a few months old. Unfortunately, the are only a couple of ways to be safe from the monsters." He took another pause though this time it appeared to be because he needed it rather than her. "One way, is to overpower our scent with something so disgustingly human we reek. My mother…" his eyes got a faraway look to them as he talked about this, "she knew that I would attract too much attention after that first attack. So, she found the most vile, most despicable man you could ever imagine."

He growled again angrily and she saw a few tears appear in his eyes though not from sadness. Or at least not entirely from sadness.

"His name was Gabe and my mother married him to protect me. He was the worst kind of mortal too. He drank, he smoked, I'm pretty sure he had his hands in drugs too. He never worked, playing poker with his friends and watching tv while forcing my mother to work countless hours at terrible jobs to support us. And…" he choked up a moment, "he beat her when I wasn't around. He beat her and he forced himself on her and made her do whatever he said."

The anger had come back now and a few rogue tears streaked down his face at the thought of his apparent step-father. He snarled at Rias and she found herself wanting to wrap him up in a hug and comfort him.

"So, you want to know why I was so angry with that asshole? That's why. Nobody should ever have to suffer through something like that and I will never stand by and watch it happen again. No man will ever force himself on a woman and I don't give two shits whether he's the _mighty Lord Phenex_ " he said mockingly, "or The Devil himself."

He finished and was panting heavily as he worked himself up into a frenzy just waiting to be unleashed.

Rias didn't know what to say. She had known that Sally was married previously, it was brought up a few times in his school records, but she never knew the difficulties that the woman and Percy went through. It only made Rias admire the woman more and she felt a warm sensation spread throughout her body at the thought of Percy defending herself from Riser.

"Well" Sirzechs said stepping up to them. Both her parents had stepped back giving Percy and Rias a brief moment while he explained. "I can assure you that the Devil doesn't force himself on any woman. Isn't that right my beloved?" he said directing his attention towards Grayfia who was dusting in the back corner of the room. He was teasing her as he knew she hated it when he tried to act all loving when she was "on the job" as she liked to say. The Queen gave a small sniff but otherwise ignored him.

Percy raised an eyebrow at her.

"My brother is one of the four Great Satans. When the last war ended all of the Satans were killed in the fighting and another civil war broke out between their descendants, who wanted to carry on with the fighting against the Angels, and the Anti-Satan faction who wanted to end the fighting. My brother and the other Anti-Satans won and the Great War ended."

Percy just nodded though his eyes widened a bit not realizing that he had just inadvertently challenged her brother to a fight. Sirzechs just laughed good-naturedly at him before slapping his back and moving away.

"Well Rias" her brother said looking at them, "I think that you have a lot of work ahead of you. I can probably arrange for a week for your and your peerage to train but after that your game will take place. Maybe a little more if he's feeling generous but I wouldn't count on anything more than 10 days max."

Rias could see that he was trying to give her as much time as she could get and she knew that he was right. Ten days probably would be as long as they could negotiate and even that was lucky. She could argue that it was necessary considering it was her first game ever but she would only be able to use that excuse once.

She nodded her head in acknowledgement. "We'll go to the mountain retreat and have training camp there. Come on Percy, we need to pick up the others and get ready for the game."

Percy's moment of shock at finding out about Sirzechs was replaced with one of determination. He had challenged Riser personally and she knew he was going to take that seriously. Percy had apparently constantly trained for years so this camp would mainly be of use to him for seeing what it was like to face other Devils. She had a few ideas in mind that could probably help him out.

Plus, with him and the rest being relatively self-sufficient in their training it would allow time for Rias to help Issei unlock his Sacred Gear's potential. She had a suspicion of what it might be and if she was right then he would be a big help in the game.

"Let's do it." He said ready to go. Rias smiled at his enthusiasm. He was going to need it for the game.

Another magic circle appeared on the ground taking them back to Kuoh Town to inform her peerage of the upcoming fight.


	21. Chapter 18: The Power of Deception

**Hello All, I have returned! My busy season is finally over with and it's back to normal work hours for me so I can spend some time writing this again. Without further ado, here's the next chapter of Angels, Devils, and Demigods.**

Chapter 18: The Power of Deception

It was a surprisingly warm night up in the mountains where Percy found himself and the rest of the peerage training. The forest nearby was thick with blooming foliage and the gentle breeze of wind barely shook the trees at all. He could hear a few owls hooting in the distance but otherwise the only other sound was the bubbling of the nearby brook. Percy laid down in the soft grass nearby the brook looking up at a clear night sky.

With no lights for miles around and the power in the mansion turned off, the sky was lit up with so many stars Percy could hardly believe his eyes. He remembered a few years ago his questmate and friend Zoe Nightshade lamenting the light pollution preventing them from really seeing the night sky. At the time Percy had mostly just chalked it to her old age as an immortal hunter but now… just seeing the night sky he could easily understand her disappointment in humans destroying nature.

He was taking in all the constellations he had ever learned at Camp when the sound of voices made their way over to where he was.

"So that's the attack plan huh?" Issei said somewhat surprised. Percy sat up in the grass and saw Rias and Issei over in the gazebo talking.

Issei had come a long way in the eight days they had been training. Percy hadn't spent any time training with him, which was probably for the best considering Tiamat growling at him every time they were near, but he had heard that Issei had grown fairly strong in their time here. Rias spent quite a bit of one on one time with him poking and prodding him into working harder and the results had impressed the rest of them; even little Koneko who practically punched him every time she saw him too.

Despite that though, his perverted ways didn't seem to be going anywhere anytime soon. Asia had come up to Percy a few nights back explaining that Issei wanted to borrow some of her clothes to try out a new move or something like that.

 _No doubt a ploy to see her in the nightgown she wore to bed_ Percy thought to himself.

Percy had spent most of his time learning from Akeno about his new devil magic and training in the sword with Kiba. He still couldn't really use magic to any great effect yet, aside from his sacred gear and his powers as a demigod that was, but Akeno seemed pleased with his progress. She took great pleasure in teasing him while they were training too. Percy had to shake his head to try and forget how close she pressed herself against him while groping his hand and showing him to make a magic circle.

Kiba, on the other hand, was just as eager to train with Percy though mainly to try and compare fighting styles. Percy was easily regarded as one of the best swordfighters the demigods had had in many, many years. Luke was arguably better than him and Jason could stand against him occasionally, and Annabeth's intimate knowledge of his fighting style often had them swapping bouts back and forth; but aside from them there really wasn't anyone else who could beat Percy. Maybe Reyna or Hylla if they tried but he figured it would probably be a similar story to Annabeth.

Kiba though was definitely among the better fighters Percy had ever faced. He was as quick as a flash and had a surprising amount of strength to his blows. Apparently his skills as a Knight allowed him to be even quicker than normal and he had a Sacred Gear of his own that basically gave him a leg up against the competition because he could create any kind of demon sword to give him an advantage over his opponent. He did fight very differently from Percy too which helped give them both a better understanding of the sword fighting techniques.

Percy's Greek style was primarily dependent on speed and slashing attacks, focusing more on horizontal quick strikes than anything else. He used some very basic Roman stabbing moves that they learned in camp and he picked up from Jason but mostly it was all Greek for Percy.

Kiba had more of a European style that relied a lot on heavy two-handed blows to overpower his opponent. The strength wasn't necessarily there in each strike but his fast, successive swings more than made up for the difference.

The voice of Rias drew Percy back from his thoughts and onto her conversation.

"Unfortunately, it's the best we can do right now. According to this manual, there is still a lot we need to worry about." Percy couldn't see her face but he could hear the hesitancy in her voice.

"What?!" Issei practically shouted. Percy winced and looked up at the mansion to see if anyone woke up to the yell but fortunately nobody had. "But you've been busting your ass all week for this! It has to work!"

Percy shook his head realizing just how naïve Issei was at times. Rias spent many hours this past week trying to come up with a solid plan and Percy had to agree that what she had was probably the best they could hope for right now. But there was something Percy knew firsthand that none of the others could claim. They could plan and plan and plan all they wanted but when they first stepped out on that battlefield in two days those plans would be as good as Minotaur shit. He'd seen it in the Titan war and he'd seen it in the Giant war. As much as they tried to prepare they wouldn't know exactly what their enemy was going to do until the fighting started and then they would have to adjust.

"Maybe" Rias said quietly. "We certainly have our work cut out for us. Phenex, named after the legendary beast of rebirth, is one of the 72 pillars of devil society…"

Percy let his mind wander thinking about that asshole Riser. Just the thought of him was enough to bring Percy to the brink of fury. He remembered looking on as he grabbed the chin of Rias and tried to force himself on her and he thought back to his own childhood when Gabe had done something similar to his own mother. She had frozen up just as Rias had and Percy only watched on as her eyes widened in an emotion he didn't recognize at the time but he eventually learned was fear. Fear of the man in front of her and fear of what he was going to do to her. He always remembered how she would turn her head just slightly and see him looking on before she somehow found the courage to deal with the man and shoot Percy a loving smile.

Oh, how he hated that man for causing his mother pain like that. She had moved on and didn't think about those days any longer, which was definitely for the best, but Percy couldn't help but feel ashamed that he didn't realize things sooner. He knew that was irrational but he just couldn't change his mind about it.

However, this time he could do something about the situation. He would stop Riser and win this game for Rias if it was the last thing he did.

"I'm really glad you're not going along with that bullshit marriage proposal" Issei said again drawing Percy's attention back to their conversation. ADHD really was a bitch sometimes.

Rias stood up then and made her way to the edge of the gazebo looking out into the night. The brightness of the moon's rays shone down casting her in an ethereal light. Her crimson hair blew wildly with the gentle breezes and Percy couldn't help but admire her figure right then. She was leaning against one of the outside pillars and breathing the mountain air deeply.

When she brought her head back down from the sky she saw Percy looking right at her and gave him a small smile. It was a mixture of determination and resignation but she seemed genuinely pleased to see him right then as well.

"The proposal was made to the heiress of Gremory" she said after a moment. "To my family, that's all I am when it comes to political matters. I'm not ever allowed to just be Rias. Like Riser, I carry the reputation of my household and I'm expected to do what is best for the family."

Percy felt a twinge of sympathy hearing her words. They sounded eerily similar to what was expected at Camp a few years ago. Being a tool of the Gods and representing the honor and respect of your parent. It seemed maybe things weren't so different between pantheons after all.

"I've adjusted to things" she continued, "and had to change my personal decisions accordingly. Don't mistake me, I care about my family and I take pride in being the heiress of Gremory but when it comes to marriage I want to it to be because of love. I want to share everything with a man who will see me as Rias and not just some political tool to gain power. I know that is probably unlikely and history is against me but the idea of love isn't something I want to give up." Her voice trailed off at the end but her eyes never wavered from Percy. He found himself drinking everything in and couldn't help thinking she was far braver than he was.

After everything with Annabeth Percy was pretty much ready to throw out the idea of love. She had crushed his feelings for practically no reason other than her stupid pride and because of that he agreed to whatever marriage the gods found for him. Although his mom had never said it, she was right. He chose the easy way out.

Hearing Rias talk about it he thought that maybe, just maybe, he might not want to give up the fight for love just yet either. He promised himself right then that he would get a bit more involved in the betrothal process his dad and Aphrodite were doing and whomever they all decided on he would do everything he could to love that woman.

"I like you Rias!" Issei said. "I like you for who you are, not who your name is. The Heiress of Gremory doesn't define you as a person, it's just an empty title and anyone who knows you should know that. You're just incredible Rias. I mean, come on, look at everything you've done for me."

Rias turned to look at Issei momentarily clearly shocked by his outburst. Percy found himself a bit surprised too as he didn't peg Issei as a motivational kind of guy but he agreed with everything he said. Sure, Rias had her flaws but who didn't. She definitely was incredible.

"Thank you Issei" she said with a smile and a small laugh. Issei wasn't taken aback though only looking at her determined.

"I told you when you accepted me as one of your Pawns that I would be the best Pawn ever and I'm going to prove that in the game. I promise that I'll do whatever it takes to make sure we win Rias. You can count on me!" Percy could barely make out Issei's face in the shadows of the gazebo but he clearly saw a grin on the boy's lips.

Rias didn't say anything for a minute instead turning back to look out at the trees. Percy saw a small smile on her face.

"I believe you Issei." Rias said. "If everyone sticks to the plan I think we stand a good chance of winning. Now why don't you head on up to bed. We have one more day of training tomorrow and I want to make sure it counts." Her tone brokered no argument but it wasn't stern either.

Issei jumped up in agreement mumbling a few more words to Rias before he scampered off to bed. Percy watched as his fellow Pawn made his way across the lawn and into the house never once noticing Percy sitting 30 yards to his left.

He was about to lay back down and take in the stars once more when he saw the shadow of Rias approach him and blot out the rays of the moon. Percy just turned to look at her again noticing that her nightgown was a pink sheen but seemed almost see-through when the light hit it.

"Are you alright Percy?" she asked concerned looking down on him with care. Percy gave her a small smile to show he was indeed fine.

"Just thinking" he said. "I find running water peaceful and wanted to clear my thoughts before getting some sleep. Plus, Meredith wanted some time in the water too." Rias turned her head to see the blue-haired Undine pop her head up above water momentarily and spit out some water towards them before vanishing below the surface again.

He almost told her that he tried going into the nearby pond first and the local naiad didn't seem to like him waking her up so late at night but decided against it. Why Meredith didn't bother her but he did Percy wasn't sure but his Familiar was in her tiny form so maybe that was why. Both Issei and Rias were lucky the grumpy nymph didn't take her anger at him out of them though it would have been funny to see Issei get splashed with a wave of water.

"Mhmm" Rias said turning back and taking him in. Percy found her blue eyes analyzing him and distinctly remembered a similar pair of steely grey ones doing the same thing not too long ago. He cleared his throat to break her out of her thoughts.

"Are _you_ alright Rias?" Percy asked when she didn't say anything else. She had been fairly quiet the past couple of days when she wasn't training one of the peerage, being caught up in thoughts and planning for the game. Percy didn't blame her.

She looked at him again and then sat down right next to him and laid down in the grass. She was looking up at the stars as he was earlier though she didn't respond. He gave her a concerned frown, to which she smiled exactly as he had, and pat the grass next to her indicating he should lay back down too.

Percy looked up at the night's sky again and felt her shuffle a bit next to him. He didn't acknowledge anything as she had done that before and seemed to mainly just be looking for companionship.

"I know how tough it is." He said at last. She didn't say anything but he knew he had her attention. "You're worried about the game and making sure everyone is going to be alright and how to win. You don't want to say anything because you're the leader but deep down you're a bit scared." He felt her give a small gasp but continued on as if she didn't do anything. "You're scared to lose because that would mean you have to marry Riser but more importantly you're scared to lose because you know that means some of us got hurt in the fighting." He didn't say anything after that leaving it to her to address him. Percy knew he was right whether she wanted to admit it or not but he figured she would.

"How do you know that?" she asked placidly. There wasn't any harshness or accusation in the question but she didn't want to acknowledge his words either.

"I've been there Rias" he answered. "I've fought many times in my life and I had to lead other demigods before. You've done the best you can and we'll do everything in our power to win but now it's up to the fates to decide how things play out."

She snorted briefly at the mention of the Moirae but didn't press him for details. He felt grateful for that. He didn't think tonight was the night to try and explain that he had led the camps in war before.

They had both agreed to not mention his demigod heritage to the others of the peerage just yet with the upcoming fight against Riser about to happen. When Percy got home from the Underworld he went into Asia's room and explained the situation to her and told her to not talk about his family to the others just yet to which she readily agreed. Apparently, she had asked his mom a few questions about things when she got up the next day and his mom, while hesitant to talk a lot about things, namely his quests and the wars and of course his trip to Tartarus, she did still explain things a bit more thoroughly to the former nun. His mom had seemed relieved about Asia knowing too and was apparently glad she wouldn't have to keep his history a secret in their home as she had done years before.

Even after the Rating Game Percy still didn't want to tell the others as it could create more complications but Rias had rightly pointed out that his scent would attract attention and they had a right to know in order to protect themselves from other monster attacks. He couldn't really argue with her logic and so agreed in the end; though not without a good fight first.

"I know some of us, maybe all of us, are going to get hurt" she answered back after another few seconds of silence. "I know that we have the best plan we can possibly come up with considering everything we know. I've done everything I can and we'll just have to execute now." Rias said it all as resolutely as possible. She tried to make herself sound calm and serene with all the assurance a confident person had. Percy thought she made a good effort at it though he could hear the slight hint of doubt in her words.

"You don't have to put on a brave face for me Rias" he said "I may not know everything about devils but I know a thing or two about fighting. Everyone in that house is ready to stand up for you and we'll do everything we can to come out victorious. We'll be ready no matter what they throw our way."

His King hummed in agreement but let the conversation die down. Percy was content to let her instead choosing to admire the constellation of Zoe Nightshade look down on them. Despite the differences between the women, Percy thought the eternal Huntress would approve of Rias.

"I don't want you to use your sword Percy." Rias finally said. Percy had been in the stages of closing his eyes and instead shot up and looked right down at her.

"What!?" he asked confused. The demigod pulled out his trusty pen and fingered it back and forth in his hand looking at her as if she was crazy. He had told her a bit about the pen in the past few days and even let her hold it; something he rarely let anyone else do. She knew how special and important his blade was to him. Not to mention that finding a replacement blade would be extremely difficult and unnecessary.

Rias looked at the pen with some awe though with more trepidation.

"You said Riptide was forged from Mount Etna and cooled in the River Lethe right?"

Percy nodded his head.

"And it was created by Pleione for her daughter; a Zoe Nightshade I think you said?"

Again, Percy nodded not seeing where she was going with this.

"Don't you see?" she asked him. "Your sword was made by Gods and Nymphs of the Heavens. Granted Olympus is not the same as actual Heaven but it could easily be seen as a heavenly blade. And heavenly swords are permanently deadly to those of the Underworld. We've already seen one instance of Riptide's power over them."

Percy had to think about what she was talking about when he remembered that strange Fedora wearing Fallen Angel in the park. Do Not Seek or something like that. Riptide cut right through him. Percy just assumed at the time that he was dispelled back to Tartarus but it seems once these Christian monsters are dead they tend to stay that way. He couldn't say for sure but it seemed highly unlikely that guy was coming back.

"Isn't that all the more reason to use it on Riser?" he asked growling slightly. He promised to kick that guys ass and he was going to. "You know he can regenerate parts of his body. Riptide might be our only chance of taking him out of commission in the game."

Rias shook her head though she didn't look completely convinced either.

"We don't know that for certain but what we do know is that if Riptide is capable of killing Devils then it would be very, very bad for us. Phenex House would be furious over his death, which would be bad for Gremory even if killing is allowed in the game. Not to mention that you'll be a target by higher up Devils who want that sword for themselves."

"They're welcome to try and pry it from my dead fingers" he said quietly looking down at his hands. Riptide felt perfect in his palms and he would do anything to keep it. It was the first gift from his father and it had saved his life and the lives of his friends too many times to count. If there was anything he loved almost as much as his mother this sword was it.

Rias turned in the grass and placed a hand gently on his arm. Percy felt a shiver go down his spine at the contact but didn't take his eyes off his sword.

"With our plan we hopefully won't need to worry about killing. We should be able to take them out and then collapse in and take care of Riser. Even he can't overcome overwhelming odds."

Percy gave her a skeptical look but didn't respond further. Her eyes connected with his and he felt his resolve swaying slightly.

"I don't want you to become more of a target then you will already be Percy. The wielder of the Zenith Tempest is going to draw attention as it is, not to mention that some of the Devils might be able to tell you're a demigod as well. If they find out you also use a heavenly sword I don't know if even my brother could protect you from everyone coming after you. I can't have that Percy."

Her tone was so soft that Percy couldn't help taking her words in. The attention she shows her peerage was admirable but this felt like something more to Percy. She was pleading with him for his own benefit because she cared so much.

How had things changed so much in such a short amount of time? It was barely even two months ago that Percy wanted to strangle this woman for everything she put him through and now here he was defending her from arrogant assholes and she was trying to protect him from her own kind. He was still slightly angry with her about his resurrection but after everything with his mom and the contract and the familiars he found that it was almost gone at this point. He had grown to care for her – definitely lust after her if their last few alone time encounters were anything to go by – and she was easily becoming an important figure in his life despite their differences.

And he was going to have to betray her at some point.

He knew his duty to his family and his father. He knew that he was going to have to lead the demigods to war again. This time against her and the other devils. He had practically agreed to it all when he agreed to the arranged marriage and circumstances were forcing him into that role quicker than he might have wished.

Percy felt guilty about that. He turned his head away from Rias so she wouldn't see the conflict in his eyes about the future.

Taking a deep breath to hide his guilt he nodded his head in agreement for her. He heard Rias let out a sigh of relief and felt her grip his arm tighten before she stood up and pulled him with her.

"Thank you, Percy," she said breathily. "I know how much Riptide means to you but this really is for the best right now. We're going to stick to our plan and everything will work out alright." His King tried speaking in that same confident tone she used for Issei and Percy couldn't find it in his heart to break that down. He knew that things wouldn't be that simple and she knew they wouldn't either. But optimism was important and a leader always needed to reassure his troops that they'll pull through the fight. And even if they knew it was bullshit, the troops needed to smile and cheer him on because as rough as things could be all their lives depended on it.

Percy smiled at her in what he hoped was the most confident grin he had. "Yes, it will Rias. With you leading us, I just know it will all work out."

* * *

The Goddess of Love quickly made her way up the winding path of Olympus to the throne room to report the latest news concerning the potential alliance with the Angels. She certainly wasn't angry or forceful on her way up. No, she was a Goddess and was elegant and poised and perfection made true. It was decided long ago that she was the most beautiful of the Goddesses after all.

All the minor gods and goddesses and nature spirits moved out of her way when they tried to get her attention and realized that she had more important matters to be about than to gossip with them about the latest news. And if her normal peplos was perhaps a bit more covering than usual it certainly wasn't because it was one of the dresses she wore into battle.

Of course, Aphrodite could have just flashed herself into the Throne Room but where was the fun in that? She liked to make a grand entrance and what grander way to enter than to have the doors loudly open and announce her glorious presence to all within. Maybe she'd even have her son Eros come in before her with a dozen doves taking flight and announce her presence to everyone in the throne room. Besides, if Zeus and Poseidon and Hera could be all dramatic with their entrances and exits shouldn't the most beautiful and amazing goddess have an entrance just as worthy?

She contemplated the idea of calling her son to her when she suddenly realized that she was already standing in front of the doors. Everyone who would be coming to the meeting was already inside waiting on her since she was the one to call for this meeting so she needn't worry about being overshadowed by anyone coming in after her. It would only take a minute to call Eros but it seemed useless by this point. Although everyone was already here they could tell she was outside the room waiting to enter. They'd just think her ditzy and conceited as usual if she made some kind of grand entrance now. Not the message she wanted to send with the news she brought.

Drawing herself and her considerable bosom up, Aphrodite strode forward and moved her arms forward causing the bronze doors to swing open and admit her. As she walked in she let a few doves she conjured behind her take flight in all different directions; each carrying a blood red rose in their beak. The Goddess smiled at the birds taking flight. She couldn't help herself after all.

The Mistress of Love saw ten others seated on their thrones and noticed how Athena and Artemis both roll their eyes at her while Ares and Apollo eyed her appreciatively. Even in a warrior's garb she still attracted the attention of males and jealousy of the females. She basked in their appraisal momentarily before gliding over to her throne and taking her seat.

Zeus looked at her a moment and when she nodded her head that she was ready he began the meeting.

"Aphrodite" the King of the Gods said, "why have you called this meeting? And where is Poseidon? Should he not be here as well?" Zeus' paranoia came through in his question and this time it was Aphrodite's turn to roll her eyes. Any time Poseidon wasn't at a meeting it made Zeus nervous he was plotting his brother's downfall.

Athena looked at Aphrodite expectantly though the same couldn't be said of many others.

Artemis pulled out her carving stone and began sharpening arrowheads. Hermes was checking his phone and reading up on emails about his latest deliveries – _he better have delivered that package of Hebe's Youthful Skin Care Cream she ordered_ the Goddess thought to herself – while her husband, Hephaestus was tinkering with some kind of metal circle that shot out sprouts of water occasionally. Ares wasn't paying attention to her but rather leered at her body clearly remembering their last night together.

Both Zeus and Hera were watching Aphrodite though the Goddess of Marriage had an annoyed look on her face and sent the occasional glare Zeus' way. Not that surprising considering Aphrodite did send the most succulent brunette mortal Zeus' way last night when he was at a local bar. How Hera discovered the infidelity so quickly Aphrodite didn't know but sending a few mortals Zeus' way every now and then helped her get her way on the council more often then not whenever she wanted something.

Apollo was checking some kind of charts and flipping back and forth with a confused look on his face. He oftentimes looked that way but it wasn't usually due to some kind of medical situation.

The last two, Demeter and Dionysus, were doing what they usually did during council meetings: ignoring everyone while reading wine magazines and muttering about cereal. Though this time Demeter did seem to have a bowl of cereal in front of her and was checking for something in it. Probably the quantity of grain in it knowing the goddess. How a bowl of Cornflakes didn't have much grain in it Aphrodite didn't know but then again, she'd never be caught eating something so… processed so it didn't matter much to her.

"Poseidon received some kind of invitation he needed to answer. He wouldn't tell me what it was about but said it was urgent. He left before I could question him further. But more importantly, I have just come from the latest meeting with the Angels." She declared to everyone. It drew the attention of a few – Hermes, Artemis, Apollo – but the others continued ignoring her. "We have encountered some unforeseen problems with them" she said after a long enough pause.

Athena sighed and brought her hands to her head and rubbed her eyes as if Aphrodite was giving her a headache.

"And what" Athena began tiredly, "is the problem this time Aphrodite? Another case of the Angels not responding to your flirting?" Her question was mocking and intended to hurt Aphrodite but the Goddess of Love couldn't even believe the question. Of course, it was hurtful. No man, Angel, God, or mortal ignored it when the Goddess of Love showed an interest in them. They should have felt honored that she took the time to banter with them as it was. The fact Michael not only outright rejected her advances but insulted her as a "pagan god" and "false god" only infuriated Aphrodite further.

Artemis laughed at Aphrodite but continued sharpening her arrowheads. She had a giant grin on her face and Aphrodite saw a twinkling in her eye as she ignored the glare she sent her way.

"No" Aphrodite said angrily. She brought out a mirror quickly to check her makeup and collect herself before continuing on. "As much as those Angels are fools for ignoring my presence this problem has to deal with the agreement itself. Specifically, Gabriel."

Now that got most people's attention.

"What?" Hera asked unsure. "What about the woman? Did you not pick her out yourself?"

Aphrodite felt her cheeks blush golden momentarily but quickly covered it up and brushing on some blush to her cheeks. She didn't need it by any means but putting on makeup was always a good cover up for the others when she needed to hide something.

"It seems the woman has agreed to the marriage but…"

"But what Aphrodite? What could possibly be wrong if the woman agreed?" Zeus rumbled annoyed.

The Goddess cleared her throat a moment and closed her mirror before looking right at him.

"She refuses to have sexual relations with Perseus. Something about not breaking her vows to God and Falling from his Grace."

Silence encompassed the room before loud laughter rang out. Artemis was squeezing her stomach and rolling around on her throne laughing uncontrollably at the statement. Aphrodite felt herself grow angry at the laughter and stood up pulling out a knife Ares left behind one night after an interesting role-play encounter they had. She began walking over to the laughing goddess when a flash of lightning passed right in front of her and pausing her in her tracks. Thunder boomed in the room causing everyone to look at the King.

"Sit down Aphrodite" Zeus said icily eyeing her knife. The Goddess of Love sniffed in his direction but quickly turned back and took a seat nonetheless. Seems sending him a companion last night wasn't affording her any flexibility today.

"Artemis" he continued, "stop laughing. This is serious. We need this alliance and if this woman doesn't agree to sleep with Perseus we won't have any way to unite the groups the way we want."

Artemis let out a few last chuckles but composed herself quite quickly after wiping a few tears from her eyes. Why the Goddess of the Hunt found the situation so funny befuddled Aphrodite but she had no doubt it had something to do with the fact that Percy was a male and had suggested Thalia for the marriage in the beginning.

"Now" the King said, "what happened exactly Aphrodite? I find it hard to believe the woman just came right now and said she wouldn't sleep with him."

"That's exactly what she did!" Aphrodite yelled. "I was explaining to them that because Percy was a demigod his fertility rates were off the charts despite his devil half and they said they didn't care about that. When I asked why the woman came right out and said she would not be engaging in "sexual relations" with the man. She would wed Percy for the alliance but her love belonged with God and no man would break her bond with him." She growled that last part out.

Athena let out a few small laughs as well but had a contemplative look on her face.

"Is there no changing her mind?" she asked.

Aphrodite paused a moment to think about it. The woman seemed adamant about not breaking her vow but Aphrodite had felt a few minute flickers of interest from the woman. It was enough for Aphrodite to go on but she didn't know if she could get the seed to grow into a strong desire to break her oath.

She shrugged noncommittally in answer. "Maybe. There was some slight chance she was interested. Michael had mentioned something about a room that might be used but before I could question things further they had to go."

"Hmm" Athena said with her thinking face. Nobody said anything for a few minutes but they were all thinking about the same thing obviously.

"Alright" the Goddess of Wisdom said after a few minutes. She didn't look like she had any eureka moments but she seemed determined in the least. "Here's what I recommend we do from here. Aphrodite, you need to keep pressing Gabriel about potential relations with Percy. Them having children together is going to be extremely important to our plans. Hermes, why don't you hang around the Angels a bit more and see if they'll open up to you about this room Michael was talking about. It sounds like it's important and knowing what it is and what it does will be vital to our plans. I'll see if I can dig up some more information on Michael and Gabriel to use in our plot though we already have the ball rolling on some things. Hopefully we'll have good news soon."

Now that was news to Aphrodite.

And most of the other council members as well it seemed as they all looked at Athena in surprise. The only one who didn't was Zeus who was grinning like a cat that caught a fish and was about to eat well tonight.

"And what exactly does that mean?" Apollo asked curiously. He had put down the charts he was reading and Aphrodite could make out Percy's name along the top with the words "excellent health" bolded along the border.

Athena looked at Zeus seeking permission which the King answered by nodding his head.

"The past few days we've been scouting a known Devil hideout in San Francisco. A few hours ago, we sent out a team of demigods to take care of them."

Outrage rang out through the room and Aphrodite found herself amongst the loudest of the dissenters. How dare the arrogant Goddess go ahead with a plan without getting the Council's approval? They ruled as one body still and this was a blatant overreach. If Poseidon were here she knew he'd be in an uproar over the claim.

"SILENCE" the voice of Zeus rang out. He slammed his Master Bolt down causing it to shoot up a bolt of electricity into the air and crackling loudly getting everyone's attention.

"Thank you, father." Athena said.

 _Stuck-up bitch_ Aphrodite thought angrily at the woman.

"As I was trying to say" she continued, "we sent out a team of some of our best demigods to handle these devils and gather information from them. My daughter, along with Jason Grace led the strike. I expect to hear back from them in any minute."

"Why were we not consulted?" Ares roared furiously. She could understand his anger. He was a War God and should have been involved in the planning somewhat after all.

"There wasn't much time" Athena said completely calm. "We discovered the base barely a week ago and my daughter has been scouting it out ever since. When we found out that all the devils were going to be there tonight we needed to decide quickly and didn't have time to consult everyone. So, going to father I presented mine and my daughters plan and he approved of it."

"And just what exactly was this plan?" Aphrodite asked hesitantly. She knew what Annabeth Chase was feeling lately and she was the very last person Aphrodite would have put in charge of this operation.

Right as Athena opened her mouth to answer the question, a rainbow popped up in front of her and the voice of Iris echoed through the room.

"I have your daughter on the line Athena. She said to say that it's very important."

Athena nodded her head to accept the call and said "I guess we'll find out just what happened right now."

When the rainbow came through next Aphrodite could barely make out the blonde hair of Annabeth Chase through the message. She couldn't be sure but it looked like the girl's hair was matted down with some dark liquid and had started to dry. Annabeth had something odd on her back and was wearing a black shirt that made her light hair stick out despite its dirty appearance.

"What's the status daughter" Athena said stoically leaning back in her throne. She eyed her daughter momentarily before dismissing whatever state she was in for a report.

Annabeth grinned manically at her mother. "The mission was a complete and total success." Her eyes were twinkling with an unknown emotion from his distance but clearly whatever happened made the daughter of Athena very, very happy. Aphrodite didn't know why but she feared that something very important just happened and it was going to make her job that much harder.

She leaned back in her throne and just looked on in surprise as the girl gave her report.

* * *

Jason sat in a surprisingly comfortable black Escalade surrounded by some of his fellow demigods driving to a nearby club just outside downtown San Francisco. He had two sons of Mercury in the backseat behind him and a daughter of Trivia and a daughter of Venus in the very last row but the only other person he knew with some familiarity was Frank who was driving the car to their destination. Everyone else was part of a newer wave of recruits that showed up while Jason was at Camp Half-Blood.

Looking in the sideview mirror, Jason could make out two more black Escalades driving just behind theirs leaving no room for anyone to make a lane change and get between them. He couldn't see the drivers of the other vehicles with their tinted windshields but he knew they would be Clarisse and Annabeth respectively. Night time was upon them now and each car had turned on their headlights.

"Praetor" the voice of Michael Douglas, one of the sons of Mercury, said into the silence. Jason was so lost in thought about the upcoming mission that he barely even knew he was responding to the voice before realizing his mistake.

"Yes Legionary?" Jason said. He felt his face flush momentarily before he schooled his features to their usual Roman stoicism. Beside him Frank shuffled in the driver's seat but didn't say anything instead choosing to raise an eyebrow that none of the others could see. Michael looked back and forth between Frank and Jason quickly as if deciding how best to handle the situation. Jason took the choice from him.

"Apologies soldier." He said accepting responsibility. "You can take the demigod out of the being the leader but you can't take the leader out of the demigod. Go ahead and direct your question to Praetor Frank."

"Gratias Pontifex" Michael said nodding his head. Frank for his part just adjusted the rearview mirror so he could look at the son of Mercury.

Taking a quick breath Michael got right into the question every demigod on this mission had probably asked him or herself at least once. The Gods only knew how many times Jason had asked it.

"What exactly is the purpose of this mission sir? I don't think anyone here really understands the tactics of this operation. Are we sure…" he trailed off not finishing his question though it was quite obvious what he wanted to say. Jason turned to look at the other demigods in the car and saw the same expectant looks in all their eyes.

What Michael really was trying to ask was whether they were sure that this mission was really the best choice because it was designed by Annabeth. A Graeca. Even after restoring the Athena Parthenos to Camp Half-Blood and defeating Gaia together, nobody really expected both groups of demigods to just brush off millennia of prejudice and bad blood. They had made plenty of progress but there was still a long way to go.

Normally, Jason would have jumped to defend Annabeth. She was easily one of the best strategic and tactical minds that he had ever met and could easily outplan and outthink many in New Rome, including himself. After spending months with her at Camp Half-Blood, getting to know her better and then their quest to Italy and Greece he could easily call her a friend and somebody he admired for her tenacity and resourcefulness.

But ever since her decision to break up with Percy she had been behaving oddly. Acting as if the breakup didn't even affect her in the beginning and then she had become reclusive with word of his transformation; much like she had been when they first met. So focused on research and studying. At first, Jason just thought it was standard post breakup heartache. He knew that some people tried to brush things off when they first broke up. He'd seen it happen numerous times in his time in the Legion. But he wasn't so sure now.

Jason had been there at Camp Half-Blood when the now infamous breakup went down. There was yelling and shouting and stubbornness on both her and Percy's part before she eventually ended it with him. And then when Percy told them about his to-be-arranged marriage he saw the makings of another fight beginning. Fortunately, him and the rest of the seven left before they saw any major fireworks blow up on the Field of Mars.

Her confession that she had pretty much broken up with him because she wanted him to work harder rubbed Jason the wrong way too. It seemed extremely petty considering he fell into Tartarus for her. Jason loved Piper but he didn't know if even _he_ would have the balls to do that for her. Of course Jason heard about how Annabeth reacted towards Rachel when both her and Percy were spending so much time together so he guessed she was just passive aggressive and prideful when it came to her feelings.

And then when word came down from the Gods that Percy had sacrificed himself to save a mortal and was then unwillingly resurrected and turned into a monster she took it pretty hard after the initial call for blood. Much like everyone in the camps did, Jason included. He completely understood her desire for revenge against the Devils. Jason was part of the masses yelling for blood at Camp Jupiter when Mars brought word too.

Still, Annabeth seemed particularly focused on these Devils ever since the declaration. According to Nico, she had locked herself up in her cabin trying to read and research everything she could to figure them out and identify weaknesses. And coming from Nico, practically Mr. Antisocial himself, that's saying something.

But he couldn't exactly call her into question right now. They were already on this mission, that was apparently approved by Minerva herself, and they needed everyone to stick together. If anyone began having second thoughts about their squad mates… well Jason had seen how bad things could get when trust broke down. People tended to die. In very painful and gruesome ways sometimes.

Fortunately, it seemed like Frank was on the same page as him.

"Michael," Frank began, "Annabeth is one of the best demigod minds there is. She specifically designed this attack after having this place scouted exhaustively. She doesn't take any uncalculated risks in her plans. Plus, her mother, Athena, signed off on this already. If the Greek Goddess of War and Battle Strategy gave this the go ahead I think we can trust it."

Frank's voice tried to sound confident and self-assured but Jason heard the slight hesitation when he mentioned Athena. Athena was like Mars and Bellona and never took any risks she hadn't already planned her victory out for. But Athena was Greek, not Roman. Plus, she has shown to have a major bias and hatred for Romans; aside from Reyna maybe. But they left Reyna back at camp with the Legion to handle the nightly activities. None of the Romans ever felt comfortable when mentioning the Goddess much preferring her to Minerva who was crafty but definitely not a War Goddess.

Nobody else seemed to hear the pause from Frank though and instead just nodded in acceptance.

It was quiet in the car for the next few minutes and Jason saw the busy streets of downtown San Francisco pass them by and gradually turn into a more open area. Tall skyscrapers transformed into suburban homes and cramped streets quickly became slow parkways. He tried running over the plan again in his head to make sure he had every detail of it memorized correctly.

It was simple really.

First, they would have the children of Hecate/Trivia work up a spell that would bend the Mist around the club they were heading to so all mortals would leave and no others would show up. That was a major priority as it seemed these Devils didn't have any regard to mortal lives. Or at least that's what Annabeth's research managed to dig up.

Second, while the Magic children did their thing, everyone else would be suiting up in some kind of gadget that Leo and the Hephaestus cabin designed. None of the Romans knew what it was exactly but apparently it was supposed to disguise them somehow. Jason knew it had to be good if his best buddy Leo created it. Jason trusted the son of Hephaestus' work.

Third, was the attack itself. Once they were sure only Devils were remaining in the club they would surround the building and take out anyone and everyone inside it. Frank had given strict order to be nonlethal unless they were pushed into the killing stroke. Information was too important at this stage of the upcoming war though Jason wasn't sure what these Devils could tell them exactly. That was partially why they brought Zeke Thompson, the other son of Mercury, with them.

Zeke wasn't exactly the best fighter, though, like any good legionary, he could hold his own. Rather, Zeke's talents lay in what the camp politely referred to as "effective questioning". Apparently, during their march to Camp Half-Blood to attack the Greeks, Zeke had done such an effective jobs of extracting minute details from monsters he "questioned" he had saved the lives of numerous fellow legionnaires from Greek traps that had been planted to impede their progress. It wasn't always perfect but he had made a name for himself as the go to guy for these kinds of situations.

Right then Frank pulled the SUV off to the side of the road just a quarter of a mile away from where the club was supposed to be. Eagle reconnaissance confirmed the club's location earlier in the week and it was isolated just enough that with the Mist's assistance they would remain private. Behind them the other two Escalades pulled off the road too.

Everyone was quick to get out and gather around in the clearing behind the trucks. Jason saw his group blend in with Annabeth, Nico, Leo, and a large bag that Leo was dragging while Clarisse, her boyfriend Chris Rodriguez and another young, black-haired girl named Rebecca that he was briefly introduced to before they all left quickly joined them.

"Rebecca" Annabeth said when everyone was together, "hide the cars for us."

The girl nodded her head eagerly and began chanting quietly in some kind of language. Jason heard hints of both Greek and Latin in her words but there was something else in them, something deeper laced with power. The son of Jupiter was so caught up in trying to understand her words that he completely missed when the SUVs just suddenly disappeared from the road.

"Woah" said the voice of Trina Black to his side. The daughter of Trivia always made him uncomfortable with her grey hair and long blood red fingernails. Apparently, it was something of an experimental spell gone haywire when she was a little girl before she came to Camp Jupiter but he found he couldn't really trust her magic if it had had such a negative permanent effect. He supposed it could have been much worse than early grey hair but he never felt comfortable enough to let her use her magic on him because of it.

The young Rebecca blushed at the reaction but quickly hide her discomposure at a quick glance from Annabeth.

Clearing her voice, Annabeth began again. "Alright everyone, lets walk and talk. We're not far from the Devil's lair now and might be in their range to smell our scents. Does everyone know the plan?" she asked helping Leo lift his bag of gadgets.

As one they all nodded their heads.

"Good" Annabeth continued. She was in her leader role right now demanding everyone's attention. "It's simple. Rebecca and Trina will remain in the parking lot and cast their spell to manipulate the Mist and turn away all mortals. Clarisse and Chris will remain behind with Frank to guard them and make sure no Devil's escape. That leaves the rest of us to storm the place and take down all the Devils."

"Why are Clarisse, Chris, and Frank remaining outside? Wouldn't it be better to put the less experienced ones on guard duty" asked Amanda Farshaw the daughter of Venus. She was outfitted with leather armor that fit her surprisingly dainty physique very well and the gold plating over the leather accentuated her dark body. She had the gift of Charmspeak which was why they brought her along. She was going to help Zeke when he began his questions if he asked for assistance.

Surprisingly, Clarisse didn't say anything though she did scowl slightly in Annabeth's direction. The daughter of Athena ignored it instead answering Amanda.

"Both Frank and Chris are the best with the bow we have currently. We didn't have any children of Apollo available for this mission and Thalia couldn't spare the hunters. That means we go to next best available. And I meant what I said about no escaping. We cannot let any of these _monsters_ get away and warn the others." She said the word monsters with such malice it caused even Jason to look at her askance.

Hatred was clearly visible on her face though her eyes shone nothing but the cold calculating determination he had come to associate with her thinking face. He had heard talk about how Annabeth despised Cyclops in her early years at Camp and thought it must have been something similar to her reaction now.

"Blondie is right" Clarisse grudgingly said. "We don't know exact numbers though it appears there are about 10 of these Devils in there. We can't let any of them get away which means should any get by you guys" - she said that as if it happened she was going to personally kill them if they did – "we need to make sure they don't get away."

It made sense in Jason's mind. These Devils didn't know about the war yet; this was merely a preemptive strike against a small group for information.

They were very close now and could see the building just in front of them. It didn't look like a standard club that Jason had come to think of. There wasn't any neon flashing lights or pumping techno music. Rather it was a brick building with a modest sized parking lot.

And then he saw the name.

"Charlie's Devils" Frank said aloud. Jason would have said it but he was too caught up looking at the large scantily clad busty woman made of wood next to the blinking sign. It was remarkably lifelike.

Jason wasn't the only one who stopped to stare as almost everyone, including young Rebecca, took stock of the situation. Annabeth was the only one unphased.

"Annabeth" Jason said getting her attention. His tone was mixed with hesitation and shock. The demigoddess stopped and turned when she realized nobody was still following her. "You said we were going to a club." He said deadpan.

Annabeth, raising her eyebrows at him as if he were crazy, just nodded her head in impatience.

"A club Annabeth. Like a dancing club with drinking and flashing lights and loud music. Not…" Jason didn't even know how to describe this place so he just waved his arms in front of him in obscurity.

To his side Chris let out a soft laugh and clapped him on the back. "Never been to a Gentleman's club before Grace? We'll have to rectify that sometime." Then Clarisse gave him an elbow to the stomach causing him to expel his breath and wheeze as he clutched his torso in pain.

"I said that we were going to a club Jason. There'll be drinking and dancing aplenty in there. If they aren't exactly dressed for their funerals… well that just makes our job easier in the end." Her rigid stare took him and everyone else in. It was clear she didn't care this was a gentleman's club, these Devils were merely an obstacle for her. And there was no going back now. Even Leo, whom Jason expected to make a wise crack when he realized where they were, didn't have it in him to joke around.

"But-" he began only to be cut off.

"Jason" Annabeth said sharply. "Can you do this or not? Do we have to leave you outside with Rebecca? I won't have you ruining this chance for me."

Jason wasn't the only one who eyed her warily at that. Both Zeke and Frank looked at her with curiosity and confusion. Michael had a deer in headlights look trying to get Jason's attention as if all his earlier fears were being realized.

"Ruin your chance?" Amanda asked calmly. She didn't lace her voice with Charmspeak but she did seem like she wanted to. Her mouth moved up and down a few times before her normal voice spoke out.

"These _monsters_ took Percy away from me and changed him against his will. I'm going to get every last little piece of information from them and find out where he is. I need to get him back and bring him where he belongs.

Jason gulped visibly. Annabeth had sounded this serious when she spent those months searching for him but this seemed like something more. She had a hint of anger and… something else he wasn't sure about in her tone. Almost like she was at the end of her rope. Honestly it made him decide to be extremely cautious around her moving forward.

As it looked like Clarisse was about to say something else Annabeth turned around and forced everyone to follow her. The daughter of Ares eyed Annabeth's backside in intrigue but didn't say anything as they gathered round in a circle in the parking lot near the edge of some woods.

"Alright" Annabeth said clapping her hands softly and turning to look at them. Jason wanted to talk to her but right now the mission took priority. Afterwards he could always confront her. Or maybe have Piper talk to her. Yes, that was probably the safer option. He'd have Piper talk to her. "Rebecca, Trina, do your thing. Leo, pull out the wings."

Without further comments, both Rebecca and Trina stepped close to one another and interlocked their hands. Jason saw some green and purple miasma glow around both their connected hands and they began their strange chanting again. It took effect almost immediately as a car full of young college age men pulled in punching each other and laughing at one another turned around looking like they were instead on their way to church. He swore he even saw a guy in the backseat pull out a bible and begin reciting passages to the others as they bowed their heads in prayer.

Jason's attention was snapped back into place when he felt an odd black backpack like device hit him squarely in the chest and cause him to grunt. It was a little heavy but nothing crazy. He saw the others looking at their own devices strangely before noticing that Annabeth was slipping hers on over her back. Not wanting to fall behind, he too slid his on finding it a surprisingly comfortable fit.

"I thought we were getting disguises" Michael said as he got his backpack settled. Jason too felt confused as this was not what he had in mind when Annabeth mentioned the plan to him.

Suddenly, Annabeth pressed a button on the back of her device and large, glittery, black wings sprung forth covering her back and torso with a black shirt. The wings went down to her thighs with sharp feathers that could easily cut a monster if they came too close. They bulged out a bit up top forming a spike that looked seriously intimidating and the utter blackness of the wings blended in perfectly with the nighttime. If Jason wasn't looking at them he would have passed by Annabeth without even thinking she had them on.

Leo was smiling like a kid in a candy store as he too pressed his button and shot out big wings just slightly smaller than Annabeth's. It made sense seeing as she was taller than him. He too had a shirt that covered up his orange camp shirt. The Son of Hephaestus went around then hitting everyone's button and causing them all to sprout wings and shirts as well. Amanda's fit on right over her armor as if it was merely a part of her.

When Jason's wings came out of his device and he was surprised that they didn't weigh much more than the device originally had. How Leo managed to get it scrunched up into the backpack he wouldn't know but the weight distribution was perfectly balanced so Jason didn't have to lean forward or sway to the sides much to keep upright. The added weight of the wings wouldn't even be enough to affect his fighting style other than the fact he now had sharp metallic wings he could use to cut monster with. He couldn't help the slight grin that overcame him.

Annabeth smiled too though hers looked more in pride than the simple joy of having a new toy to play with.

Nico, on the other hand, did not look pleased. The demigod son of Hades looked very uncomfortable with the wings on and tried shifting them around his back numerous times before giving up and growing an angry look to his face. It was clear he didn't know about these wings either though unlike Jason, Nico seriously disliked them.

"This is good" she said when everyone was squared away with their wings. "Now we look like Fallen Angels. If anyone does manage to get by us they will think that they've been attacked by Angels rather than demigods. These wings give off a slight odor that will temporarily mask our scents preventing them from identifying us properly. It'll last about five minutes so we have to round everyone up very quickly."

Jason had so many questions for Annabeth and Leo but it was clear the clock was ticking if they only had five minutes. He turned to run into the strip club like the others when Annabeth's voice drew them up short.

"Wait" she said quickly. Jason stopped and watched her make her way in front of everyone. He didn't even realize it but the last patron was walking out of the club now and quickly making his way to his car and arguing with somebody on the phone. Probably his wife by the sounds of his guilty denials. "One last thing. These wings will only grant you slight take off for a couple of seconds before you crash back down to Earth again. If you jumped off the roof and glided it'd be a completely different story but without some air under you already flight is minimal. The exception is Jason of course." Annabeth turned to look him right in the eyes then. "Your powers will allow you to fly about Jason, I'm counting on you to do that a bit and really sell our cover story. Just in case something goes wrong."

Jason nodded his head and after making brief eye contact started running again causing everyone attacking to join him as well. It wouldn't be difficult for him to fly about and he had to admit this idea of being Fallen Angels needed some flying to be convincing.

About a minute had passed since they all put on their wings so they only had four minutes left of scent cover up. It was only a matter of seconds before Jason was standing next to Nico outside his entrance waiting to barge in with Amanda, Zeke, and Michael in the back and Annabeth and Leo on the side of the building. He could just make out the curly, golden hair of Annabeth looking back and forth between him and presumably Amanda in the back when she raised her hand and snapped it down to indicate the mission was a go.

Nico saw the signal and kicked in the front door with his combat boots and pulled out his long Stygian Iron sword that looked eerily like the same metal the wings were made of. Jason followed right behind him and jumped up in the air letting his powers take over pulling the air currents around him in support and flaring his wings wide as he rose from the ground.

In front of him was a scene that he found both enticingly erotic and somewhat disturbing at the same time.

Standing below Jason were four women all with blonde hair wearing very short school girl outfits and making out with each other and moaning seductively. That was the enticing part.

The not so enticing part was the man who stood just in front of them who was rubbing his chest awkwardly and slowly unbuttoning his shirt as if performing a striptease for them. This was who he assumed was Charlie and his group of Devils.

Jason, caught up in watching the girl on girl action briefly, found himself hovering in air but fortunately it seemed Nico didn't suffer from that same affliction. It didn't take a genius to figure out why. In a matter of moments Nico was upon the girls and had already punched the first one in the head knocking her out and causing the others to jump back in screams.

Personally, Jason would have gone after Charlie first as he seemed clearly like the more threatening target so the demigod son of Jupiter quickly flew downwards towards the man ready to finish the job. Unfortunately, Nico's attack on the girls caused them all to pop out of their daze and Charlie managed to turn around just as Jason was bringing down his gladius on him.

Charlie jumped backwards hissing loudly as Jason's strike just missed him and flared his own strange bat-like wings outwards joining him in midair. The Devil glared furiously at him and began muttering something before a strange green circle formed in front of him and shot some kind of energy towards Jason.

"You'll pay for coming here and attacking us Fallen scum" the man seethed. Below, Jason could here the clangs of a few metal swords striking together but he couldn't take his eyes off his opponent. This guy had some long-range attacks and Jason needed to keep him in front of him at all costs.

Jason supposed the man's question was expected to be answered but he couldn't think of anything clever to taunt like Leo or Percy might have done. And he was no where near as good a liar as Piper or Annabeth were. Instead, Jason stuck with what he has always been good at. Attacking.

He forced the winds to bend to his will and a blast of air burst in from the front doors helping him maintain his altitude as he moved forward to engage Charlie again. Maybe two minutes left before his scent returned to him so he knew he had to end this fight quickly.

As Jason soared close to Charlie, the Devil flew backwards slightly causing him to enter into a game of cat and mouse. Jason would move forward and the Devil would move back just enough to avoid him. Jason would speed to the left to cut off Charlie but instead the man moved to the right. And every time Jason tried to get close the Devil would shoot out a blast of green energy towards him in an effort to knock Jason from the air.

"Jason!" a female voice from below yelled. "We've got everybody else finished off. Quit pussyfooting around and take him down."

The demigod ground his teeth slightly at the insult but maintained an outwardly calm demeanor for his opponent. Charlie laughed at him nonetheless. Why Annabeth was being like this recently Jason didn't know but he was definitely going to have Piper talk to her when this was all over with.

While the Devil was caught up in his laughter Jason made his move and flew faster than he had before calling in all the winds he could muster. In the doorway he heard groaning from the hinges as the already broken doors creaked and sagged open wider and a blast of wind surged him forward while a blast of wind from the open doors in the back flew in and pushed Charlie towards him. The Devil tried to fly sideways but Jason anticipated that maneuver and pushed him forward instead causing the man to go wide-eyed as his face collided with the hilt of Jason's sword. His eyes quickly rolled up in the back of his head and he lost height crashing hard to the ground below. He heard the muffled cries of some of the girls behind gags that were stuffed in their mouths as he landed.

"Took you long enough" Annabeth said looking at them as Jason touched down next to her. Her words were really beginning to get to him and he sent a glare her way to let her know she was coming very close to crossing a line. She rolled her eyes at him in response.

Rather than giving in to his anger at the moment he turned away from Annabeth and took in the scene in front of him.

Seated in a row of chairs and tied up in black metal chains were eight girls all in various states of undress and makeup. The four school girls that Nico must have taken down were at the far end on the right squirming around in their chairs and trying to break free. The metal chafed at their hands but showed no signs of giving. Next to them was a woman decked out in what he could only try and think of as supposed to be a sexy medieval lady's dress. It was sheer white allowing for a good view of the underneath with matching white panties and bra. She had her nails done professionally with white polish and a very deep red lipstick to appear seductive.

The next two woman had to have been twins as were wearing matching outfits albeit in different color schemes and slightly different accessories. Both had flaming orange hair and pale, white skin though the first girl had a nasty welt over her left eye while the second one had a distinct cut across her neck. A light trickle of blood escaped that wound and it looked painful though the woman tried to appear unphased by it. They were wearing a blue and green bikini each with basically G-string panties and left little to the imagination.

As Jason looked down at the last girl he couldn't help but feel slight pity for her. She looked like she was barely even eighteen with ebony color hair and a California tan. The girl kept her eyes and head downcast and refused to meet his eye. Of everybody there she was dressed the most wearing a standard knee length cotton dress with a sash over the front with the words "new girl" imprinted on it.

"This was all the was left of them" the voice of Zeke said as he stepped out from a door in the back with two stripes of leathery wings in his hand. Jason didn't see any golden dust anywhere but they did count at least ten people so he assumed those two stripes were the spoils from two they had managed to kill. Annabeth scowled at the view but didn't say anything more.

"Those guys were gods damn tough to kill. I swear they were the strongest monsters I've ever met with how they threw me around so easily" Amanda said looking at Zeke's hand. She was frowning at the leather but otherwise didn't say anything else. Annabeth raised her eyebrows at her and grew very contemplative.

"That doesn't make sense" she said quietly. She probably hadn't meant for anyone to overhear but Annabeth did have a bad habit of talking out loud sometimes.

"You calling us liars?" an angry Michael said limping forwards towards her. He was glaring fiercely at her and his hand was on his sword looking like he was ready to use it on her. She met his gaze levelly dismissing him as a threat though gripping her Drakon bone sword tightly ready to defend herself still.

Annabeth walked up to the twin girls then and looked them over critically before answering.

"These two were abnormally fast. Faster than either Leo or I were ready for at first but they definitely weren't stronger than us. Now you're telling him that those two goons you killed, bouncers by your descriptions, were abnormally strong." She turned from the two redheads to look at the others and Jason could see the gears whirling in her head. "So, what about these ones? The school girls there didn't seem to have any special powers, did they Nico?" she asked the son of Hades.

He shook his head in the negative.

"And what about Lady Slut right here" she continued on looking directly at the white glad Devil. "She didn't show any kinds of powers either from what I saw. Then again, we had her tied up faster than she even realized what was happening. Same with "New Girl" at the end. She was down on the ground gagged and bound faster than she could even comb her hair."

Annabeth walked back and forth between the woman a few times before drawing herself up in front of "Lady Slut" as Annabeth called her. The demigoddess eyed her warily for a moment before she lowered her gag and let the woman take a few deep breathes. Then Annabeth slapped her across the face much to the shock of everyone present except maybe Annabeth and "Lady Slut".

"Hello Devil" Annabeth said diplomatically once the woman stretched her jaw back in place a few times. She was glaring at the devil with the same pure hatred Jason saw earlier. Her hands twitched a few times on her sword but she didn't bring it up to use just yet. Yet being the operative word.

"What do you want Fallen whore?" the woman asked back. She too was glaring though Jason assumed that was more due to the fact she was tied up and gagged not a few moments ago.

"I'd like some answers about you and your kind." The tone Annabeth adopted was very placid though Jason could hear the undercurrent of anger bubbling underneath and ready to explode at any moment. How, she managed to convey a look of hatred while keeping her tone light Jason didn't know but somehow Annabeth was doing it.

In response to her answer the Devil spit towards Annabeth and managed to hit her in the leg.

For her part Annabeth didn't do anything other than look down at her leg and shake off the saliva before raising her hand and inviting Zeke to step forward.

Without another word Zeke stuck a knife into the woman's collarbone causing her to shriek in agony.

To the side, Amanda turned away and slowly made her way to the kitchen in the back and Leo joined her quickly after. Jason and Michael looked on in some revulsion as some blood trickled out of the wound when Zeke ripped it out of the woman. He stabbed back down again, this time on the other side and causing a deep cut right down her chest.

Annabeth made neither move nor sound, just looking at the woman and waiting for her to crack.

The woman screamed in pain. "Curse you, you Fallen bitch. You Angels are going to rot for this. We're going to bring everyone down upon you and fuck you all up."

The daughter of Athena continued looking at her for a few minutes while Zeke made methodical cuts into the woman's chest but nothing but curses and threats escaped her mouth.

After a few minutes of watching Zeke perform his duty Annabeth raised her hand and the son of Mercury stopped momentarily. The Devil woman was breathing deeply and her voice had become hoarse from screaming aloud but this was the first break Annabeth had given the woman. The Devil took the moment to compose herself and when Annabeth looked ready to begin anew she seemed stubborn set like never before.

This woman was definitely going to be a tough nut to crack and Jason didn't know if they had the time to really get into it. It'd be hard to explain why a bunch of people just randomly disappeared one morning.

When it become clear the woman wasn't going to budge Jason didn't know what they were going to do. The mission was turning into a quick failure with each passing second their interrogation was slipping further and further away from them. Annabeth must have recognized this too as she stepped away from the woman and looked around the strip club instead.

Metal poles hung from the ceilings around the room and a giant catwalk made up a path to the center where he assumed most of the women would dance for patrons who came. The devils were tied up directly in front of the catwalk and Michael and Nico had cleared away the tables around the room leaving everything pretty open.

Out of ideas for what to do Jason opened his mouth to suggest they bring her with them when they leave when he stopped and stared at Annabeth looking down at Charlie who was tied up and gagged as well, though he hadn't woken up from his unconscious state yet. He woke up pretty quickly when Annabeth kicked him right in the face and broke his nose.

"Mmmphf" Charlie mumbled through the gag. His eyes widened at a look from Annabeth and he mumbled a few more "mmmppphfffs" when he saw her raise her sword up and stab him right through the stomach. The devil screamed a muffled cry of agony at the attack but Annabeth looked as cool as rainwater still. She turned to look back at "Lady Slut" and must have seen something in her eyes as Annabeth sent a fierce glare at the woman.

"We're going to play a little game now" Annabeth said. "Here's how it's played. I'm going to ask you a question. If you answer me quickly and completely everybody lives to fight another round. If you ignore the question or give me a bullshit answer, I'm going to stab Charlie here in increasingly painful ways and places." As if to drive that point home Annabeth brushed her sword up Charlies legs getting extremely close to the man's groin and causing him to whimper. "If you don't answer me quickly enough or don't tell me the complete truth, my friend Zeke is going to begin carving very intricate patterns and designs into your body. Then I'm going to stab Charlie again just so we're clear."

The Devil's eyes grew wide at Annabeth's declaration though she began nodding her head vigorously and large tears leaked down her cheeks.

"And the best part?" Annabeth said looking at Charlie again, "we're going to play this game with each and every one of you girls. So, make sure you're ready with your full complete answers to my questions."

Then Annabeth smiled sweetly at them all.

Jason felt his face grow pale at the prospect of what was about to go down. Annabeth, somebody who he thought he knew fairly well, just told these women that she was going to torture and mutilate them for information. He gulped visibly and began turning away to go join the others outside, Nico and Michael not far behind him.

"Question one: Tell me what you know about Percy Jackson."

The screams of pain followed his ears as he practically ran out of the club hoping their pleas of mercy and cries of misery wouldn't haunt him forever.

* * *

It was only a short twenty minutes later when Annabeth walked out of the club covered in dark blood and wiping her sword on what Jason assumed was Lady Sluts dress. The darkness of the blood contrasted perfectly with the whiteness of the dress as if it was a signal that innocence was truly lost this day.

Jason had sat outside with Clarisse and Chris and Frank around him while Nico, Michael, Amanda and Leo stood to their sides and Rebecca and Trina took a quick breather from casting their spell. They could all hear the screams from inside the club but nobody wanted to go inside and stop Annabeth from this. Honestly, right now Annabeth scared Jason so much it wouldn't have surprised him if she turned that sword on him and skewered him.

"We're done here" Annabeth said drily as if she hadn't just spent the past third an hour interrogating and torturing monsters.

"What did you do with all the devil's?" Clarisse asked in genuine curiosity. She wasn't quite squeamish about the torture – she was the daughter of the war god after all – but she didn't really like the idea of it either. She took more of a middle road and her boyfriend followed her lead. Frank and Michael and Amanda all looked distinctly uncomfortable at the question but they knew they needed to know the answer.

"I've disposed of them. Zeke's taking care of the last one now. This peerage, as they call themselves, won't be bothering anyone else again."

"Peerage?" Rebecca asked as she and Trina completely released the Mist around the club and removed the vestiges of their magic while they took a break. She looked exhausted for about half an hour of work but she was still very young so it made sense that she'd be dead tired afterwards.

Annabeth nodded her head. "Yes, peerage. These Devils group themselves off into smaller tribes, if you will, that they call a peerage and are giving unique abilities. Seems they based it quite a bit off chess which explains why Mindy and Cindy, those twins we saw, were so fast, and Carl and Rob were so strong. They were the embodiments of their chess pieces of the Knight and the Rook respectively. It was all quite fascinating really." Jason could see that she really did find their power system interesting though Jason couldn't give two flying shits about that right now. He wanted to get out of the place and away from Annabeth and her growing psychopathic tendencies.

Suddenly, a loud cry rang out from the front entrance and Jason saw the last girl, "New Girl" as she was called, sprint out the doors and spread her leathery wings. Zeke followed behind her with his knife raised in his hand yelling for her to stop and somebody to help him.

Jason was on it before the others even realized what was happening; He spread his fake wings wide and let the wind lift him up off the feet quickly trying to close the distance between them.

The girl picked up the pace but she was no match to outfly Jason and quickly dove to the ground realizing she couldn't escape through the air. Jason hovered momentarily above her, making sure that she didn't decide to fly back up again when he saw her land on the ground and look about wildly only to see Zeke and Clarisse closing in on her quickly.

She squawked at them closing in on her when suddenly Jason saw a bright green light appear on the ground below her and causing Jason to avert his eyes. Clarisse and Zeke tried to continue on but the light got to be too much for everyone momentarily and they had to shut them. When next they open their eyes, the girl was gone and not a trace of her was left behind. Jason cursed loudly at making such a rookie mistake.

Soon enough everyone gathered round the spot where the girl used to be and all looked down at it in wonder. Everyone but Annabeth that was. Where Jason expected her to be furious she was instead grinning like she just won the lottery.

"You did well Zeke" she said at last causing everyone to look at her like she was crazy.

Zeke gave her a smile back and a grateful nod in recognition.

"Woah, woah, woah. Time out here" Leo said making a T with his hands. "What the Hades just happened right now? I thought we didn't want any of them to escape. Bad Boy Supreme definitely remembers that being said before the mission."

Jason nodded his head vigorously remembering that too. Annabeth definitely said that none of them could get away and warn the others.

"You're right Leo" Annabeth conceded. "The plan was not to let any of them escape. While we were rounding them up that is. The one who got away from us right now was planned and accounted for." She had a proud look in her eyes as if she just pulled a fast one over on Mercury himself.

"You mean to tell me" Jason said in a low, angry voice, "that after everything we just did tonight we were always going to let the enemy go?" he was growling as he talked and everyone could hear the anger in his words.

Annabeth, unbothered by his tone as always, just nodded her head still smiling. "That girl that got away tonight will go and tell the others what happened here and cause chaos and panic in Hell. And the best part?" she said, her smile growing even wider, "they'll think it's all the work of the Fallen Angels while we get off scot free."

Jason had to admit that there was a certain brilliance to the plan even if he was used like a puppet. It was thanks to his flying that they were able to sell that farce to those Devils. He sent another glare her way.

"Was it worth it at least? Did you get what you wanted?" he asked bitterly.

She nodded again. "Gremory."

"Huh?" Chris said for everyone.

Annabeth turned to look at him and spoke again. "Gremory. It's one of the noble Devil Houses. None of those devils had even heard of Percy but they knew of the descriptions Nico had given me about the _girl_ he's been seen with." She said the word girl with as much vehemence as she had monsters when referring to Devils.

She then drew a drachma from her pocket and pulled a prism out from her other one creating a rainbow with the moonlight still shining down. Taking a deep breath, Annabeth threw in her coin and said a prayer to the goddess.

"O Iris, Goddess of the Rainbow, please accept my offering. Show me my mother, Athena, up on Olympus. Tell her it's very important."

Behind Jason, Frank, Michael, Zeke and Amanda all froze up when they realized that they were going to see a goddess for the very first time. Despite the fact that the woman didn't like Romans it was still an honor even if a second hand one.

A moment later the cool face of Athena appeared in the rainbow and looked directly at Annabeth. It was easy to see where Annabeth inherited her cold eyes as Athena's gaze bore daggers into everyone present.

"What's the status daughter?" Athena asked stoically.

Annabeth gave her mother another wide grin and with just the right angles of the moonlight, her bloody face gave her an insane appearance.

"The mission was a complete and total success."

For the first time that Jason had ever seen or heard about, Athena smiled.

* * *

 **AN: And we're back. I know it's been a long wait people but I hope the chapter was worth it. As I mentioned before, my work is returning to a normal schedule so expect the normal update periods for a new chapter (2 weeks or so). You can always check out my profile if you ever want confirmation.**

 **Now I know some of you might be disappointed with this chapter but it is important for the overall plan of the upcoming war. However, next time is definitely going to be the Rating Game so prepare for some Percy Jackson badassery right there.**

 **Also, on my break from the story I came to an important decision here. If you can't already tell, I have decided to go with a Yandere Annabeth. We're going to see some insanity start to come out from her as her obsession with Percy grows. I know the Percabeth shippers will be disappointed with this but I felt with Annabeth's personality and the changes I've made in the story this was a good chance to explore something different.** **Love to hear some feedback on the decision.**

 **Also, I'm not to sure how the Aphrodite section came out here. I wanted to try something different and explore the mindset of a goddess but I'm not sure I was as successful as I wanted to be. If you guys could tell me what you thought about that part I'd very much appreciate it.**

 **As always guys and gals, thank you for reading and reviewing. I appreciate all the feedback.**

 **Stormwreckin**


	22. Chapter 19: This Isn't Exactly CTF

Chapter 19: This Isn't Exactly Capture the Flag

Percy couldn't sit still. His annoyingly inappropriate alarm clock sat on the nightstand by his bed slowly ticking away the time until it read 11 pm. He knew that he should have tried to get some sleep and rest up before the game. Years of training at Camp Half-Blood taught him that. Yet, like always, his demigod battle instincts just wouldn't let him relax.

He was tense and he knew if he didn't find a way to calm down a bit, he would only tire quicker when it came time to play.

He began pacing back and forth in the room deciding to let a little bit of the anxiousness out. His mind wandered to the last few days of training and Rias asking him to not use Riptide. It hurt in a way, being asked that but he knew she only did it for his own benefit. When he told Kiba about it on the last day of training they had tried a whole collection of swords – enough to outfit a full cohort of the Legion in fact – and they still hadn't been able to find one that worked well enough.

Percy had of course trained with enough weapons at camp that nothing was truly awkward in his hand. The hand-and-a-half bastard sword felt alright though the cross guard was too wide and the two-handed Claymore he tried was too heavy to swing with the speedy slashing attacks Percy favored. Kiba had generously produced a few Xiphos for Percy to try but none of those felt right either. The leaf-edged blades were either too wide or not long enough. At one-point Percy realized that he was partially making excuses but the truth of the matter was that none of them were Anaklusmos. It felt wrong to use a Xiphos that wasn't Xiphos.

The craziest idea they tried though was the Katana. Why in Poseidon's name they thought that would be a good idea Percy didn't know, but when he tried slicing down the 28-inch sword onto a piece of wood and it broke and backfired hitting Issei in the forehead they knew that wasn't right either. The Katana was a two-handed sword, something that Percy was less experienced with and didn't feel as comfortable using, and the single-edged blade, while making it quite sharp, made it extremely brittle and susceptible to breaking with his Greek fighting style. After about the fifth time the sword broke and somehow managed to hit Issei, who was practicing a good 30 feet away, Percy decided to call it quits on the sword.

He was going to have to play this game swordless but fortunately Tiamat seemed pleased. After being quiet the last couple of days she seemed rearing to go, not to mention the swords breaking and hitting Issei made her laugh quite loudly in his head. She was in a good mood.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Percy stopped his pacing momentarily and looked at the clock quickly realizing that fifteen minutes had already passed.

"Percy?" the timid voice of Asia said through the door. "Do you mind if I come in?"

"Not at all Asia, come on in." He responded.

Quietly, so as not to accidently wake the baby downstairs, Asia opened up Percy's door and walked inside. She left the door open in an effort to keep the noise down as his sister had surprisingly good ears for a newborn infant.

Percy was slightly taken aback when Asia walked in. She was wearing her nun habit with her hair let loose in its usual way. Her big, green eyes were looking at him for comfort.

"Wow" he said when she came to a stop. "What's with the clothes? I haven't seen you wear your habit in a while"

Asia looked nervous as all Hades as they looked at each other. Percy could tell that she was scared for the game though she tried hard to cover it up.

"I thought it would make me more confident" she said. "Rias said it was a good idea. As long as I felt comfortable was what mattered to her."

Percy nodded his head in understanding. Asia shuffled her feet back and forth a few times shifting between looking at him and looking down at the floor. She clearly wanted to say something but was hesitating.

"I was wondering" she began unsurely, "what you thought of it?"

The demigod couldn't help but smile at Asia's shyness. He didn't get to spend a lot of time with her during the training and with everything with his family causing some problems for him and Rias he missed this. He missed her sweet innocence and naivete that remained in place after everything she's endured.

He opened up his arms wide and stepped close to her giving her a hug. She squeaked in surprise for a moment before she settled down in the embrace and hugged him back. He couldn't see it but he was sure he felt a smile form on her face.

"You look amazing Asia" Percy said honestly. "That outfit has always suited you. Though maybe I have a little something that might help a bit."

Breaking away from the hug briefly he bent down under his bed and pulled out a large duffle bag that clinked loudly. He paused in his motions to hear if he woke his sister but resumed after a minute when it seemed he got lucky.

Asia stepped up behind him and looked over his shoulder at his actions. When he unzipped the bag, he started pulling out pieces of hard-boiled leather straps and organizing them on the floor. It didn't take a genius to figure out that these were pieces of armor he brought with him from Camp. With his new Sacred Gear, it seemed to make his Greek armor obsolete and he just didn't know what to do with it.

Now though he had the perfect idea.

"Percy?" Asia asked crouching down to kneel next to him. He gave her a big smile that seemed to put her at ease and she smiled back, if only a small one.

"This was my armor that I brought over from Camp" he began telling her. "With my Sacred Gear I don't really need it anymore and I was just going to store it under my bed until I could get it back to my friends but I have a better idea now. Your habit looks great on you Asia but it doesn't do a good job of protecting you. I promise that I'll do everything I can to watch over you but I know I won't always be around. I'm hoping you'll accept some of these to protect you when I can't be there."

He held out the vambraces and greaves knowing those could easily be altered with the straps to cover her arms and legs. She wouldn't be able to fit in his cuirass as they were just too different and she was a girl while his armor was obviously created for him, a guy. But the vambraces and greaves would work well on her regardless.

She looked at him for a moment before her eyes got a bit watery and she nodded her head in acceptance. He gave her a small smile before gently outstretching her arms and sliding the vambraces over her forearms. Percy could feel the slight tremble in her arms but he gave her a reassuring gentle squeeze with his free hand as he tied the armor on. They didn't fit perfectly but considering the discrepancies in body types they fit surprisingly well. He showed her how to move her arms around in them and how to keep the armor tight briefly before doing the same thing with the greaves on her shins.

When the armor was all done and strapped on he stepped back and pulled her to a mirror he put in his room. With the habit loose on her body and the armor tied tight to protect her arms and legs she looked a little odd but Percy gave her a comforting smile before laughing lightly. She too let out a small laugh and the tension he felt earlier faded a little with this light-hearted moment.

Asia turned and looked into Percy's eyes before stepping up to him and surprisingly pulled him into a fierce hug. The girl had never been so forward before but maybe wearing her habit with some armor for the first time really had given her some confidence. Whatever the reason Percy hugged her back.

"Thank you, Percy," Asia whispered into his ears. He felt a slight shiver at the words but nodded in response.

"I just wanted to say that this really means a lot to me" she continued. "Just knowing that you're out there and looking out for me… you have no idea how good it is to hear that." He thought he felt something wet on face but when he pulled back from the hug, he didn't see any tears coming from the Bishop.

"Asia-" he began but was interrupted.

"Rise and Shine. Time to go kick some ass!" the voice of his alarm clock suddenly rang out loudly. A woman dressed in Spartan armor was on the screen of the alarm though she was slowly peeling off her armor which didn't make much sense with the message.

Percy growled slightly still angry at not having found a way to change the alarm's settings yet. "Apollo" he said menacing. Asia already knew about his family, plus it was night out which meant Apollo wasn't driving the Sun Chariot around the Earth – though he was probably out cruising for babes as he occasionally put it – so Percy didn't feel too bad about cursing his name. He quickly turned off the alarm before Asia could see the girl get any further than starting to peel off her peplos.

It was 11. Time to go.

Looking at Asia one last time he grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. She didn't even hesitate, instead molding her body tightly against his.

"It's show time" he said looking down at her. "Are you ready?"

She gave a gulp for a moment before looking down at her new vambraces and then looked back at him. That's when he saw it. She was nervous still but now she looked determined. Asia was ready for this fight.

"I'm ready. As long as I have you next to me, I know everything will be fine. And with this armor I'll always have you next to me."

He felt a stirring in his heart at her words though he didn't let it show. Percy gave her one last smile before holding his hands up and forming a red magic circle on the ground to transport them to the Club House where they'd meet the others. He grumbled in his head briefly about it being red instead of blue but pulled Asia with him when the circle was ready.

Together, they stepped into the magic and prepared themselves for a night of battle.

* * *

When Percy and Asia arrived in the clubroom it was quiet. Kiba was polishing the sword he intended to carry with him into the game; Koneko was nibbling on a piece of chocolate like usual. Both Akeno and Rias sat calmly on the couch and President's chair respectively drinking cups of tea.

The only one who looked even remotely uncomfortable was Issei. He kept looking back and forth between everyone clearly surprised at how calm everyone was and was fidgeting slightly. Percy saw his hands squeeze tightly into fists every few seconds before relaxing.

"Percy. Asia. I'm glad you're both here now." Rias said. "The game will be starting shortly." The King gave Asia a brief once over seeing the former nun in her religious garb and narrowed her eyes a little at the armor on her arms and legs but didn't make any mention of them.

The others gave a small smile Percy and Asia's way as they made their way over to the couches.

Just as Percy was about to sit down though, the door to the clubroom swung open revealing Sona and Tsubaki strolling in. Tsubaki stood a respectful distance behind her King but didn't say anything. Her heterochromatic eyes lingered a moment on Kiba before moving on and giving Percy a brief nod. Percy looked back and forth between the two for a second but Kiba was too focused on his sword and Tsubaki turned her complete attention to Sona.

"Sorry if I'm interrupting Rias" Sona said looking passed everyone to stare at Rias. The glasses clad Student Body President had an indifferent expression though Percy thought he saw an excited gleam in her eyes.

"No, it's not a problem Sona. Please, come in and join us." Rias said looking as cool as ever. Percy had to give credit to his King; she certainly knew how to portray confidence in light of the situation.

Sona nodded her head in thanks and strode a little closer to everyone.

"Wow" Issei said eyeing both Sitri devils, "I didn't expect either of those two to be here."

Rias took the opportunity to answer an unasked question when she saw Issei wasn't the only one wondering why Sona and Tsubaki were here.

"There's a live broadcast of the competition for the families of the participants." Rias made that sound like it was completely natural; as if playing a game to determine whether your daughter and heir married a scumbag were as simple and normal as a Little League baseball game. "Sona and Tsubaki are here to help out with that" she continued.

Sona decided to throw in her two cents then as well. "And besides, it's her first Rating Game. I wouldn't miss that for anything." The Sitri devil gave Rias a soft smile showing her support.

Before anyone else could comment further, a bright white magic circle formed in the back of the clubroom blinding Percy momentarily. He shielded his eyes with his right arm until the light faded away revealing the maid outfit of Grayfia.

"Is every devil chick stupidly hot?" Issei questioned aloud. He had a giant smirk on his face and his eyes were open wide hoping to take in every part of Sirzechs' Queen. Percy couldn't help rolling his eyes and when he turned away from his fellow Pawn, he saw Koneko doing the same.

 _She's quite good at that_ Percy thought to himself. Koneko seemed to have a habit of rolling her eyes at Percy and Issei.

Grayfia, for her part, took it all in stride, neither commenting on Issei's question or acknowledging his leering.

"I am Grayfia, Queen to Sirzechs Lucifer and also in service to the Gremory family" the silver-haired woman said introducing herself. She made eye contact with everyone, Issei included despite his obvious lustful looks, before going up to Rias. "It's almost time my Lady. I hope you're ready for this."

Rias nodded and stood up. She had a determined look to her that Percy admired. Her face betrayed no emotion other than confidence.

"We are" she answered. "Whenever you are set up to take us, we are ready to go."

Grayfia made no movements but behind her another bright white magic circle appeared on the floor ready to transport them somewhere.

"Please then, step forward onto the circle. It will transport you and your team to the battlefield"

Percy began walking over to the circle loosening his body as he walked. He was tense still but in a good way this time. His body was taut and ready for action after waiting around all day.

"Wait," Issei said as he walked over, "where's the battlefield?"

 _Did you not pay attention to the plans at all?_ Percy asked him in his head. If he had he would have known that Rias' plans were designed with the few locations she and Riser suggested in mind. Percy wanted to growl at Issei but somehow reined himself in. He was saving his anger for Riser and they couldn't afford to get into a fight right then. Teams that fought one another always lost when it mattered and this fight definitely mattered. He could restrain himself and Tiamat for now.

Fortunately, Akeno answered Issei saving Percy from making a sarcastic comment that might have ruined his restraint.

"The battlefield is a neutral alternate space created just for the game. Because it isn't real, we can really do some damage. Isn't that right Percy?" she finished looking at the demigod with a hand on her face blushing in anticipation for the oncoming fight.

She was teasing him again but Percy couldn't help but grin back. He'd already known the place they were fighting wasn't exactly real and he planned on unloading all of his Sacred Gear's powers. Especially since he was without Riptide.

Everyone made their way over to circle and stood ready to go. Percy could feel his heart begin to beat faster as the adrenaline began pumping into his body. He was ready to go and couldn't wait to unload.

"Tsubaki and I will be in the Student Council broadcast booth commentating on the game. We'll be cheering you on Rias. Good luck." She and Tsubaki turned and began leaving the room but before she left, she made one last comment. "Beat the hell out of that scumbag, Rias."

Percy could see that Sona's words gave Rias some reassurance. Her confident demeanor seemed less forced now and she seemed ready to fight as well. Percy thought he might have to reevaluate his opinion of the Sitri heiress a little. Just slightly maybe. She did still read his entire school records aloud for all the devils to hear so she wasn't exactly on his top 30 favorite people list.

As the door shut the brightness of the magic circle began glowing to transport them to the battlefield.

"Oh, and one last thing" the voice of Grayfia said just before they left. "Your brother, the Great Devil Lucifer, will be watching the game Rias. And he's invited a very special guest as well." The silver-haired Queen turned just slightly to look at Percy. "Your father is here to watch the game as well young Perseus."

Percy felt himself pale slightly. If Poseidon was here then that meant he knew that the devils now knew Percy was his son. It seemed he didn't exactly make his situation all that clear to Sirzechs when they talked briefly at Rias' parents' mansion.

"Oh fuc-"

And before he could even finish speaking the magic circle took effect and transported them to the battlefield.

* * *

"-k me" Percy finished when the circle arrived at the battlefield. They were in the exact same room they just left though there was something different about it he couldn't put his finger on. This fight was going to take place in an alternate world of Kuoh Academy and everything seemed the same but it was like there was this overbearing presence all around them. Maybe that was just the spectators watching them.

The atmosphere seemed heavier somehow and when Percy looked out the window, he saw the sky was covered in green moving lights. As if the Aurora Borealis had somehow made its way to this strange place.

"Wow" Asia said beside him. He didn't realize the girl had stepped up next to him but he nodded his head in agreement just the same.

"Wait!" Issei shouted drawing everyone's attention. "We're still at school. What just happened? Did I screw up the magic circle or something?"

"We're not at school anymore pervert." Koneko said in her monotone voice.

Kiba piled on in answering him. "This is that alternate space Akeno was talking about. It might look like Kuoh but it most definitely isn't."

Just as Issei looked like he was going to respond a voice echoed through the air.

"Good evening everyone. My name is Grayfia and I am a servant in service to the house of Gremory. I will be this match's referee."

Grayfia's voice was loud in the air though Percy couldn't see her anywhere. He wasn't sure what exactly a referee was supposed to do here as this game seemed pretty self-explanatory. You fight and strategize until your opponent has no one left on their side.

"Tonight's match is between Lady Rias Gremory and Lord Riser Phenex. After taking suggestions from both Lord Phenex and Lady Gremory we have created the battlefield you are all seeing. You might recognize it as an exact replica of Kuoh Academy, an educational institution in the Human World. Each team has been given an area to serve as its home base. For Lady Gremory: she and her team reside in the Occult Research Club headquarters in the Old Schoolhouse. For Lord Phenex: he and his team reside in Principal's Office in the New Schoolhouse."

Percy looked back outside trying to see the new schoolhouse. He could just barely make it out in the distance noticing the trees and gym and other schoolrooms between the two. Grayfia had done a good job of picking locations that were pretty opposite one another.

Grayfia continued. "Pawns will be promoted if they can make it to the home base of the opposing team. Let's have a good game everyone. Good luck to all."

And with that, Grayfia's voice vanished leaving only silence behind.

Percy took a deep breath. The air was stale here though that didn't surprise him. There was no breeze and everything was still.

 _We're going to have our work cut out for us_ Percy said in his head.

 _ **Indeed, hatchling**_ Tiamat said back, _**you needn't worry about outside influences on our powers. We control the elements; we are its master. We will show everyone the power we truly wield!**_

He hadn't paid attention while talking with Tiamat so he missed whatever inane comment Issei surely made though based on Kiba's response he probably suggested they walk right up to Riser's home base and fight the asshole himself.

"Use your head man" Kiba said lightly to Issei. "Riser's probably going to send his pawns to our home base first thing and we need to keep enough people back to make sure they don't succeed."

 _ **Hmmm**_ Tiamat said in his head, _**wise words. This one knows something of strategy.**_

Percy nodded in approval.

"We need to stick with the plan" he said drawing everyone's attention. "Kiba's right though. The hothead was cocky when I saw him so I have no doubts he thinks he can just send a few pawns and be done with us." Percy met the eyes of the others not really caring all that much he was usurping Rias' position momentarily.

"But we're not going to let that happen now, are we?" The others shook their head in the negative. Issei even pounded his fist in his hands to show his enthusiasm.

"Good" Percy answered back simply. "I want to punch that dickhead right in the face and show him he picked the wrong peerage to fuck with. Rias" he turned to look at his King who eyed him appreciatively. "what's the plan?"

Rias responded back with a nod of her own accepting his question.

"Yes" she said pulling out a map of the school and some pink balls from her pockets. She laid the map out on her desk, waved everyone over and gave them the pink ball.

"First, put these in" she said. "They're communicating devices that allows us to talk." Percy took the balls and acknowledged that they felt a bit squishy. He wasn't sure what exactly to do with them but when he saw Akeno put it in her ear and watch it dissolve he quickly did the same.

"Now, the enemy base is just across the way" Rias said pointing to the New Schoolhouse. "The quickest way to it might be cutting through the schoolgrounds but it's not an option."

"Too open. There's no cover and nowhere to hide that way." Percy added and Rias nodded again.

"Correct. They'll see us coming and have traps laid out. We'll be sitting ducks going that way."

Issei chimed in with a suggestion of his own then that surprisingly wasn't bad.

"What about the Track Field? We could sneak in the back and get the element of surprise?"

Rias shot him down though she did it with a smile. "It's too obvious and Riser knows it. We'd be walking right into their expectations and any surprise we might have had would be turned against us."

She paused a moment to let all that sink in. Rias was staring intently at the map as if analyzing a hundred different scenarios at once. Percy could see the gears turning in her head and wondered what exactly she was thinking.

She pointed to the space beside the New Schoolhouse. "I think Riser is going to station a group of Knights and Rooks here to defend any entryways into the building. It's what I would do and, as much as it might seem like it, Riser isn't a fool."

She then moved her hand forward just a bit to the gymnasium. "That leaves the gym. It's right between us and is a strong launching point for whoever controls it. We need to make sure they don't get it."

Percy raised an eyebrow at her slightly but didn't comment on anything. They had gone over some basic strategies when planning for this and they had all agreed if Kuoh was chosen as the location then the gym was vital to their plans. However, all the scenarios they talked about during training involved taking the gym before Riser and using it to attack whenever the douchebags' base was. Percy didn't seem so sure that Rias intended that anymore.

"Koneko" Rias said looking at her little Rook. "do you think you can handle getting in the gym and locking it down?"

The white-haired Castle nodded in acceptance and looked ready to go. Percy could see determination in those golden eyes of hers.

"Good" Rias said. "First things first though, Kiba, Koneko, I want you two to go out and create some defensive traps around our home base. We can't let anyone come in while we're out fighting."

Koneko nodded her affirmation and Kiba smiled and brought his hand to the pommel of his sword. "You got it President. I was hoping to see some action."

Together, the Knight and Rook slowly backed away and left the room to set up the perimeter.

Turning, Rias looked at Akeno and the two seemed to be of the same mind because Akeno nodded. "Akeno, we're going to need your expertise next. Once they're done with the traps, we'll need your illusion magic to trick them. Be prepared."

The black-haired woman bowed slightly in Japanese fashion in answer. Akeno began walking out of the room to wait for Kiba and Koneko to finish before she began some kind of trick of her own. Percy wasn't sure what she would do but he knew that illusions could be really useful. He remembered when Beckendorf created both himself and Percy a set of chameleon armor that blended them into their surroundings and made them practically invisible. Illusion magic was powerful stuff indeed.

Percy eyed the map one last time before bringing his head up to see Rias staring at him intently. He wasn't supposed to have any part to play in this beginning stage but she had already changed a few other things so it wouldn't surprise him that she wanted him to do something now.

"Percy" she said after a few seconds. She seemed as if she was unsure about asking him of this but didn't have much choice otherwise. "You've come pretty far with your Sacred Gear in the past few days. How well do you think your control over it is?"

He shrugged his shoulder in response. "Pretty good, I think. It can get a bit unwieldy at times but I haven't had any issues the last few days."

She looked at him skeptically before smiling slightly. "Good. Then listen up because this is what I want you to do first. I know that you can create some pretty powerful storms but do you think you can create one that is contained in two separate areas?"

Percy raised an eyebrow at her not quite sure where she was going with this.

"I want you to make two different storms. The first over this patch of woods here" she moved her finger over to the edge of the map far away from the clubhouse. "This is where I'm going to have Akeno create an illusionary replica of the Old Schoolhouse so any of Riser's peerage that manage to break through our traps actually end up in the wrong place."

Percy gave her a small whistle impressed by the idea. That wasn't in any of the strategies they discussed in training and he couldn't help but wonder what else she might have come up with.

"If you can create a storm there, I can have Akeno arrange a trap that will lock them in that area to get knocked around by it until I can send Kiba clear them away."

Percy nodded in assent. That was doable.

Rias then slid her hand over to Phenex's base pointing her finger just in front of it. "I want a second storm here. At least until we get some of us over there that will force them either inside the building, allowing us quicker and possibly stealthier access to the base, or ruin the terrain they'll have to fight on giving us a temporary advantage. You'll have to remove the water there when you arrive so we don't hurt our own chances but if you can whip up a storm big enough that some branches break off trees and they have to spend resources fighting them off or clearing them away then it will be worth it."

Percy wasn't sure he could create the second storm. At least not as big as Rias seemed to want. He could understand forcing the enemy either into hiding or making them use resourced but he wondered about the cost of what it was she was asking of him. He hadn't tried anything like this before.

But when Percy turned to answer her, he met her eyes. The confidence in them was still there but he could see some pleading in them that was only for him. She was relying on him to do this and while he knew if he couldn't she would understand and move on he didn't want to let her down either.

He felt his resolve harden at that and gave a firm nod of the head. The crimson haired woman smiled at him then and gave him a reassuring squeeze of his arm. He could feel that strange electricity again at her touch.

Percy turned to the window and called forth his Sacred Gear. Zenith Tempest manifested itself on his arms revealing the deep blue armor. He raised his hands up parallel to the ground and tried to feel the tugging in his gut that always indicated he was using his powers.

The last time he had really created a storm of any magnitude was when he went to rescue Asia from the Fallen Angels. He was so angry that he let most of his emotions dictate how the storm formed and how big it got. It worked out well last time because he only needed to worry about directing the storm. In principle, he discovered his powers work best by letting them loose and working their destruction upon a target, guiding the storm to his desire.

This time though would have to be different. Not only was he trying to create two different storms but he needed to actively restrain them enough so they didn't get too wild and break out of the area he wanted them in. If they did, there was a good chance Kiba or Akeno or Koneko could be caught up in the storm and hurt them, which was obviously bad.

He first began by creating the storm in the far east corner of the woods as that one seemed more immediately important. Down below Percy saw Akeno talking with her strange Familiars before the six different imp-like creatures disappeared in all different directions. He never did get a chance to find out what they were.

Percy pulled on the tugging in his stomach and watched as some clouds gradually began forming over the spot in the woods. He had practiced his abilities slightly with Akeno during the training but it wasn't anything to this extent. The demigod was mostly relying on his instincts and demigod powers before that. Even Tiamat with all her years of experience wasn't really any help as he was her first wielder as a Sacred Gear.

Slowly the clouds covered up the green lights in the sky and began getting darker and darker until only blackness covered the woods. Percy could practically feel the power in those storm clouds begging to be unleashed. The air was still calm and at rest here at the true clubhouse but in the distance the trees began moving ever so slightly indicating to Percy that he had managed to create some wind to whip them back and forth. It was weak now but he knew in time it'd get out of control if he didn't actively manage it.

It hadn't begun raining there yet but the demigod knew it would only be a matter of time before the clouds opened up. He could see some kind of shimmering in the woods then that was clearly the result of some kind of magic. Akeno's illusion seemed to have begun forming and fortunately she worked something into the magic so that the wind didn't affect it. He just hoped she did something similar for the rain when it started.

Unfortunately, Percy knew he had to get started on the other storm now too or it wouldn't have the desired effect Rias wanted. He kept his right arm pointed to the spot in the woods to maintain that storm but he released the power coming from his left arm instead pointing to just beyond the gym and started the storm making process all over again. It was significantly more difficult this time but he continued just the same.

As he was doing this though he couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on behind him.

"What about me and Asia President?" Issei asked clearly eager to participate. Percy didn't look behind him but he had no doubts his fellow Pawn had his fist out showing his willingness to fight.

Rias addressed her Bishop first. "Asia, as my healer it's important that you're easily accessible to everyone and that's here at the base. I want you by my side ready to go and help heal anyone who gets hurt."

Asia mumbled her agreement softly. "Ok Rias"

"As for you Issei," Rias continued, "I want you to come here for a minute."

"Sure President" he answered. "But… erm… why?"

Rias didn't say anything for a minute as the footsteps of Issei drew closer to the couches but eventually she did. And much to the irritation of Percy as well.

"I want you to put your head here in my lap."

"Are… you sure?" Issei asked really hesitantly all of a sudden. Maybe it was because he didn't know how to react to finally getting to touch a girl who's asked him to, but Percy liked to think it was more a matter of the angry roar he let escape his mouth at the thought of that pervert touching Rias. Fortunately, a loud burst of thunder and lightning blared down from the sky at that very moment that Percy thought the others would just relate to him using his powers to create the storm.

"Just sit here and lay down Issei. After spending the past few days figuring out your Sacred Gear, I think I know what gets your riled up right now."

It was silent then aside from a few deep happy sighs Percy could hear from behind him. He never felt like punching Issei more than in that one moment though he didn't quite understand why he was so upset over it. Issei was a pervert and was always trying to get with girls but Rias had specifically asked him to do this. It wasn't his fault.

"President" Issei said after a few minutes of basking in Rias's body, "this is one of the best moments of my life. I want you to know that I can die a happy devil."

 _Fucking dick_. _Perverted fucking dick_. Percy couldn't help the negative thoughts. He thought Tiamat might also be influencing him just slightly here but he didn't feel like pushing those angry emotions away from now. Instead he used them. He used them to channel his powers into the two storms and it seemed they were just what he needed to begin unleashing their true powers.

A few loud cracks of thunder rang out over both storms and the skies began their downpours. It seemed Akeno _had_ accounted for Percy's rain as whenever a raindrop hit her illusionary building it got darker as if rain were actually hitting it.

He lowered his arms finally pulling back on his use of power. These storms would maintain themselves for now but he knew he was going to have to put more power into them eventually if he wanted them to continue. For the moment though, he caught his breath and tried to recover his reserves. Creating both storms took out a surprising amount from him though he knew he had more left to give.

"Percy" the timid voice of Asia said from beside him. He hadn't turned away from the window not wanting to look at Issei and Rias for some reason but he couldn't help and stare at his innocent friend. She seemed slightly scared like earlier so he offered her a hug which she happily took.

"All the talk of fighting is starting to scare me" she said softly into his shirt. He had gone with a blue today in honor of his favorite color. Rias hadn't seemed to care so he was happy.

"You remember what we talked about earlier? At home?" he asked her as he let up on the hug slightly. She pulled herself back just a little to look at him with a confused expression before it changed into one of remembrance. And then the same one of determination he saw back at their home.

"You said you'd always look out for me. And with this armor you'll always be there to protect me."

Percy nodded in agreement smiling at her. He didn't hear anything from Rias and Issei behind them but he had a sneaking suspicion they were paying attention to the exchange.

"That's right Asia. I might not always be right next to you but with those vambraces and greaves you'll be protected from many different kinds of attacks until I can be there. You stick close to Rias and everything will work out alright. You'll see."

Percy spoke confidently and saw the tension and unease leave Asia. She was still scared slightly but now she had gained her confidence back a bit. He was glad with that as anyone who went into a fight without confidence was just asking for a beating.

"Rias" the voice of Akeno suddenly said in Percy's ear. He turned about quickly to see where she was before he realized that the Queen was using the communication device. "Everything is set now. Perimeter is secure and the illusion is in place. We're ready when you are."

Rias stood up suddenly causing Issei to fall head first to the floor much to the hidden delight of Percy. He smirked his fellow Pawn's way barely holding back his laughter.

"Alright everyone, here's the plan."

* * *

Poseidon stood in an extravagant room surrounded by high-class devils. The seating was split between fancy leather chairs and soft, plush couches that devils of all kinds seemed to be mingling in. The rating game had just started so both teams were preparing their defenses and strategies and not much action had taken place yet.

The most exciting thing that happened was Percy using his Sacred Gear and demigod powers to create those two storms. They seemed weak in the beginning but now that they had really started going, he could see they would be very violent before they dissipated. A few of the devils had looked on in appreciation of the feat before returning to their conversations.

 _HA! Take that Zeus!_ Poseidon thought in his head with a proud smile on his face. His son had just created not one but two different storms that would easily outclass any his own children could make.

"My Lord Poseidon" a voice said beside him while holding out a glass of red wine for him to take.

The Greek God of the Seas turned away from the screen to see Venelana Gremory with the glass held out for him. Her husband, Zeoticus, stood beside her with a glass of his own while Poseidon also recognized her son, Sirzechs Lucifer, making his own way over to them.

"My thanks Lady Gremory" Poseidon said politely. It had been many years since he had last seen these two and even then, he wasn't all too familiar with them.

He was angry at these devils for a whole bunch of reasons, the least of which was how they found out he was Percy's father in the first place, but he was a representative of the Olympian council and had to act with the proper discourse right now. He and his family would have their time for revenge against them all soon enough.

"Lord Poseidon!" Sirzechs said strolling right up to them and clasping Poseidon on the back. Fortunately, Poseidon had just taken a sip so he managed to avoid spilling the wine.

"Lord Lucifer." Poseidon said in acknowledgement. "Thank you for the invitation. I must admit that I was surprised at first but now that I am here, I am glad to have the opportunity to see how your Rating Games work. Athena will be extremely jealous to know I have seen one before she has."

The three devils laughed politely at him. "Oh Poseidon" Venelana said, "you still have that tiresome rivalry going on with the poor girl? When are you ever going to let that go?" She said it lightly so he knew she was teasing him. Venelana seemed to have a habit of teasing him for some reason.

"When she admits that I'm right of course. But you all know how prideful she can be. An easier time trying to get Apollo to stop playing music than get her to admit she was wrong."

Sirzechs laughed lightly again before he turned his attention to the screen in front of them. On it they could see a group of Rias' team in the gym trying to lock it down.

"And it seems we've got ourselves our first fight everyone" the voice of the commentator rang throughout the room. A woman name Sona Sitri if he remembered correctly. To the sides Poseidon saw all the devils stop their discussions in favor of watching the upcoming battle.

"Yes indeed" the woman continued. "It seems Lord Riser has sent three Pawns and a Rook against Lady Rias' Pawn and Rook."

Before Sona could continue commentating though the screen cut down to the discussion between the opponents.

"I'm Mira, and I'm a Phenex Pawn" said a girl in traditional fighting Japanese garb. She carried a wooden staff with her that she seemed adept at using.

"I'm Xuelan, a Phenex Rook" said a woman in a dark blue Cheongsam with her hair in little buns on the side of her head. She didn't carry any kinds of weapons that Poseidon could see so he assumed she was some kind of hand to hand specialist.

And then the last two introduced themselves. Twins by the looks of them with their strange light green hair and matching school gym class outfits. "I'm Ile and I'm a Pawn" said the first girl. "My name's Nel and I'm also a Pawn." The two girls were carrying chainsaws in their arms and looked ready to fight.

Poseidon waited for the Gremory combatants to introduce themselves but they never did instead only talk quietly between themselves before deciding on some kind of game plan.

Thankfully, Venelana seemed to understand what Poseidon wanted because she answered his unasked question.

"The white-haired girl is named Koneko. She's a Rook for my daughter. And the boy is newer. He's named Issei and he's a Pawn just like your son. We don't know much about him but Rias said he had some serious potential."

Poseidon wanted to growl out loud at the unintended insult against his son but he somehow found a way to restrain himself. He did glare quite fiercely at the screen though.

And somewhere in the Pacific there might have been a Category four hurricane forming too.

But that was just a minor inconvenience.

Sirzechs added his two cents when Poseidon didn't make any comments in response. "According to Rias, Issei is the wielder of the Boosted Gear. His power could be limitless if he learns how to use it properly. Though I must admit I'm a bit more curious to see how your own son does here. By all estimates he knows how to use his powers much more than Issei does already."

The Great Devil gave Poseidon a small smile making the god wonder just what exactly he already knew about his son. Percy had done a lot in recent years with the foes he's defeated so some word was bound to leak out. Could it be possible that these devils had specifically targeted his son for resurrection then?

The thought infuriated Poseidon. He'd have to bring the possibility up at the council meeting when he left after the match.

"My son has spent many years honing his powers. His Sacred Gear is a bit new to him but from what I've seen so far he is learning its potential quite quickly. He's much better with his sword though I'm a bit surprised he doesn't seem to be using it for this game." He added when he realized he hadn't seen Riptide once.

On the screen Poseidon could see Issei engaging in a fight with the three Pawns while Koneko took on Xuelan, the Rook. He didn't seem to be faring all that well but then again it was three on one.

Sirzechs winced slightly at a particularly rough hit from Mira on Issei. The Gremory Pawn stumbled a bit but managed to recover before Ile and Nel could drag their chainsaws across his chest.

"Issei seems to be having some serious trouble there doesn't he Hun" Venelana said to Zeoticus.

"Indeed, my love," the Lord of Gremory responded. He was too wrapped up in watching the action on screen to give a more elaborate answer.

While the fight in the gym was occurring, the screen split to show the action going on elsewhere on the battlefield. The first scene showed three girls from Phenex's peerage making their way across the woods. They had fallen into Gremory's trap and been diverted to the woods.

"And it seems three of Lord Riser's Pawns have been ensnared by Lady Rias' traps." Sona commentated through the television. "Pawn Marion, Pawn Burent, and Pawn Shuriya have changed course and are now full steam ahead to the illusion Schoolhouse created by Gremory Queen Akeno Himejima. The storm created by Gremory Pawn Perseus Jackson seems to have taken effect now as all three Phenex Pawns are struggling to get to their destination between the pounding rains and beating winds."

Poseidon felt his pride swell another moment at the mention of his son. Sona was right as all three Phenex Pawns were now caught up quite thoroughly in the growing violent storm. The rains beat down on them dampening their clothes and constantly getting in their eyes while the occasional tree branch and leaf sputtered around them in the whipping winds forcing them to dodge.

"Those three have fallen right into Rias' trick" Zeoticus said aloud. He too sounded very proud of his daughter for her ingenuity.

Before Poseidon could say anything back, the screen cut once more to show his son walking next to a Japanese woman with striking violet eyes and long black hair. They stopped a small distance from the gym looking at it. Clearly, they were waiting for something though Poseidon didn't know what. The screen zoomed in on them so their conversation could be overheard.

"Rias" Akeno said into her communication device. The screen did another quick cut, splitting once again to show the other half of the conversation. "Percy and I are in position."

"Good." Rias responded. "I have Asia with me still. I'm sending Kiba out soon to take out the Pawns who fell into our traps. Start preparing your power to handle the gym. With the two of you I'm sure you won't have to expend as much energy."

"Copy that" Akeno answered. "We'll report back when it's done."

The Japanese girl didn't waste any time beginning to do something. Poseidon wasn't sure what she was doing but Percy seemed to know. His son had stuck his hands up in the air and Poseidon watched the screen seeing dark, menacing clouds begin to form over the gym. This apparent storm was much smaller in scale compared to the others so the God of the Seas was curious as to what was going to happen.

"So, do you want to talk about it?" Akeno asked Percy while they were focusing on gathering their power. The camera had zoomed in on them to show a close up of the two. Akeno seemed to be standing right in front of him very closely. Poseidon raised an eyebrow at that but couldn't help but congratulate his son. Women didn't get all up on a man if there wasn't something going on there. And this Akeno was definitely an attractive woman.

"Talk about what?" his son responded not even realizing how close she was to him instead focusing solely on putting his power into the clouds.

"Your dad silly boy" Akeno said lightly. Poseidon felt himself stiffen up at the conversation though he tried to downplay it.

This clearly caught Percy off guard as he faltered in his power a moment before he regained himself.

"What about my dad?" he asked her hesitantly.

Percy couldn't see Akeno's face but the watching Devils and Poseidon could. She had a soft smile on her face but was all concentration still.

"Well we could always start with the fact that he's here and somehow knows you're a devil?" she said teasingly.

Percy was quiet for a moment leading Poseidon to think he wasn't going to answer.

"My dad" he started after a moment before he faltered. It was as if he didn't know what to say exactly. Poseidon felt a moment of sympathy for his son. The life of a demigod is often short and chaotic. The Ancient Laws made things worse for them all but he'd found that they were necessary for order in the world.

"It's just complicated" Percy finished saying at last. Poseidon didn't blame his son. No if anything, he agreed with him completely. Complicated summed things up quite nicely.

Akeno hummed in agreement. Her teasing from before seemed to vanish and her eyes became soft though Percy couldn't see it. Yes, his son had somehow done a good job of wrapping this one up around his finger although Poseidon didn't know how.

"Complicated fathers" Akeno said quietly though both Percy and the camera were able to pick it up. "Yeah, I can understand that."

"Akeno?" Percy said delicately back. He had heard the same complex tone Poseidon had. There was a lot more there and Poseidon thought they'd probably have another conversation soon enough. Away from the cameras. Which he was grateful for. He didn't want all these devils overhearing he and his son's dirty laundry being aired for all to know.

"Don't worry about it, Sweetie" Akeno said suddenly getting her voice back to the teasing tone she had before. It was as if the conversation they just had hadn't even happened. "You just focus on putting all your power into those big clouds of yours. I did promise you we'd have so much fun together blowing things up together, didn't I?"

The Japanese girl turned around finally and came face to face with his son. She was so close now it was hard not wonder what was going on between them. Percy sputtered a bit at the comment from the girl.

To his side Sirzechs and Venelana laughed a bit at the display but didn't comment on it.

Then the television cut away from his son and returned back into the gym where the action was heating up something fierce. The Rook Koneko had her clothes partially torn revealing a matching set of stripped white and pink bra and panties underneath. She had managed to land some tough blows against her opponent, the Rook Xuelan, if the woman's bruised face was anything to judge.

Across the way Issei was having a difficult time evading the chainsaw wielding twins. Mira, the third Pawn, was throwing the occasional jab with her staff and managed to connect one or two times but Issei had somehow managed to avoid the strikes for the most part. A loud voice yelling **Boost!** rang out from Issei's Sacred Gear ever few seconds or so.

"Why are you running Pansy boy!?" one of the chainsaw twins taunted a running Issei. They were giving chase and swinging the chainsaw around indiscriminately.

"What's the matter? Not a fan of chainsaws?" the other tacked on in taunt as well.

Issei was still running but he managed to turn his head just slightly to respond to them.

"I love chainsaws! Almost as much as I love twins! But you're ruining them both for me!" he got out while running full force.

Poseidon couldn't help but laugh at the boy's response. Sirzechs couldn't either and both found themselves enjoying the boy's antics as he struggled to escape.

 **Boost!** Issei's Sacred Gear said aloud again as he turned to face the three Phenex Pawns. He had a giant smirk on his face and was excited about something.

"I've worked my ass off trying to get stronger and now I've done that. All so that when a moment like this one came along, I'd be ready to kick some ass and make Rias proud of me."

A strange red light lit up the floor around Issei and his Sacred Gear changed its wording. **EXPLOSION!**

Issei jumped up into the air then coming straight towards the twin Pawns of Phenex and he touched them on the shoulder quite hard. The two girls fell to the ground but before they could even get up Issei had managed to strike the third Pawn, Mira, and pushed her into the other two. All three sat on their knees looking up at Issei winching slightly in pain but otherwise relatively unhurt.

Poseidon turned a questioning eye towards Sirzechs who just shrugged with a good-natured smiled and pointed back to the screen to see what would happen.

Mira looked down at her staff that lay in tattered wood shards around her from when Issei managed to break it a second ago. She seemed shocked he had even stopped her attack much less that he managed to destroy her weapon. The twin's chainsaws lay far away from the girls having been knocked free of their hands at Issei's attack.

Issei had a smug look to his face as he watched the three girls struggle to their feet. They seemed ready to go again but Issei looked extremely confident.

"You guys want some of this?" he asked them mockingly. The girls hesitated a moment before looking at one another and deciding to charge him. "Well bring it on then!" he taunted them now.

The girls were closing fast but he didn't seem worried at all. "Now" he began when they were only a few yards away from him, "here's my special move!"

All the devils in the room were watching the screen with rapture now eagerly awaiting to see what the Gremory Pawn would do.

"Time to get… NAKED!" he shouted aloud and snapped his fingers. Poseidon dropped his mouth open a brief moment before he regained composure. Luckily the devils were focused on the match they didn't see his brief shock.

A magic red circle formed on the body parts Issei managed to touch on the girls and glowed brightly for a moment. Then, as one, their clothes ripped away revealing their completely naked bodies.

Sirzechs started laughing uproariously at the display and Poseidon couldn't help but chuckle too. It was so completely unexpected that laughing was the only thing they could do. Other devils around the room laughed as well though not everyone.

The Pawns of Phenex had been immobilized and weren't going anywhere anytime soon.

Issei was clearly reminiscing about something as he had tears of joy streaming down his face and a happy smile. He looked so proud of the fact he had stopped the girls and managed to get them naked.

"This is all thanks to you Asia!" Issei said out loud.

Then little Koneko came in to ruin his mood.

"Dude, you're such a pervert."

Poseidon looked back at the devils around him and they were still laughing lightly. Clearly this was unexpected for them too though they found it just as funny as Sirzechs did.

Before Poseidon could say anything though a few nearby devils pointed toward the television. The God turned back to see Issei and Koneko running out of the gym unsure of what their plans were.

"What are they doing?" Poseidon asked to nobody in particular. The others seemed just as surprised as him.

That's when the television zoomed out to show Issei and Koneko coming up to Percy and Akeno standing outside the gym. Akeno had revealed her devil wings and had a look of ecstasy on her face as she raised a hand gathering her mysterious power. Percy had a few drops of sweat on his face as he was clearly putting all his effort into doing something with the storm.

"We're here!" Koneko said as she and Issei pulled up next to his son and the Japanese girl. Akeno took off into the air briefly floating just about them ready to do something.

Percy let out a guttural growl as his storm began swirling around. A loud crash of thunder rang from the skies with his yell and small streaks of lightning flashed across the clouds.

"Now Akeno!" Percy yelled clearly struggling to contain his power now. Poseidon could understand. It was easy to create the storm; it was easy to let it run rampant and guide it. But it was difficult to stop one once it started and containing one was even more difficult. The seas didn't like to be restrained after all and what was a storm but bits of the sea raining down from the skies.

"Oh Yes, Percy! It's our turn now! Let's show these little girls just how we have a good time!" Akeno yelled in euphoria. She raised her hand in the air and began pulling the stray lightnings Percy had created. The lightning took on a bright yellow glow rather than the blueish hue Percy's had been and Poseidon watched as the girl put her own power into the strike and guide a bolt down straight on the building.

When the lightning hit the gym, Poseidon was only slightly surprised to see it crash down and shatter it. He had seen Zeus' Master Bolt use enough power to blow apart buildings and it seemed his son and this girl could put enough power into a strike and do the same. Not quite on the scale with his brother but this was still impressive nonetheless. This girl would unfortunately be a difficult opponent when the war came.

"Boom" Akeno said lightly laughing all the same. Around the room, Poseidon could hear cheering from the other devils excited to see such action.

"Most impressive Poseidon." Sirzechs said looking at the screen. He was analyzing his son as the camera zoomed in to a close up of Percy hugging a now grounded Akeno in happiness. The girl looked thrilled at the display and though his son appeared a bit tired he seemed quite pleased as well.

"Percy is one of the strongest son's I've ever had. I'm extremely proud of him." Poseidon said smiling at the screen. "Who's the girl exactly? That was a powerful lightning strike of her own." He added at the end.

Venelana took up the question this time. "That's Akeno, Rias' Queen. They call her the Priestess of Thunder and as you just saw, she's earned that name. Though it would seem your son seems to have a penchant for this kind of thing as well. That strike would have tired Akeno out quite a bit but with Percy aiding her she seems much better off."

Poseidon hummed in agreement. The girl seemed not as tired as he would have expected though Percy did seem it. Creating those storms early took a bit out of him and making sure this lightning blast was powerful just added on. He needed to find a source of water soon to recharge.

The Gremory team seemed to break up after a moment with Issei and Koneko walking towards the woods to join Kiba. The Knight had tracked down the three Pawns of Phenex that got caught up in the Gremory trap. The girls looked battered down pretty good from Percy's storm though that was now starting to let up. The wind had mostly returned to normal though a few odd raindrops still fell from the clouds.

Percy stood to the side with Akeno as the Queen recovered herself with his son doing the same.

That's when things took a turn for the worse.

The camera zoomed out to reveal a busty woman with long, wavy, purple hair flying towards the unsuspecting Gremory peerage fast. She wielded a long staff with a strange hooked metal object sealed to the end and a big ball of purple energy was gathering in the center of the metal. The camera split screen to show a picture of Riser Phenex giving the order to this woman to attack.

"Take them out Yubelluna. Ensure victory is Riser's."

With that the woman released her magic towards Koneko hitting her directly. The screen flashed a bright purple momentarily though when it stopped Poseidon saw Issei had been blasted far from the attack and Koneko was fading into a blue energy disappearing from the battlefield. In a side room Poseidon could hear some devils scrambling around to welcome the girl into an infirmary.

Issei struggled to his feet but when he stood, he looked furious. The attack had hurt him quite a bit.

"Koneko!" the boy yelled.

Poseidon watched the screen right as his son and Akeno ran up next to Issei and glared daggers at Yubelluna. Percy looked just as pissed as Issei did and Akeno looked like she just found an interesting challenge.

"You're going to pay for that, you bitch!" Issei roared at Yubelluna. Percy didn't say anything, which was unlike his son, but he seemed to agree with what Issei threatened.

"You should give up now little boy" the Phenex Queen laughed at him mockingly. "You don't stand a chance against us."

Issei growled. "Why don't you come down here and find out then?!" he yelled back. He began taking steps forward only to be stopped by Percy. Poseidon watched as his son shook his head no though, he didn't seem like he wanted to.

"Stick with the plan Issei." Percy growled out. "You need to find Kiba and help him. Akeno and I will stay here and take care of her." At Percy's words the wind picked up around them whipping clothes and hair about wildly.

Issei didn't look like he wanted to but eventually nodded in agreement and turned away.

"Fine! Whatever you say. Just make sure this bitch gets hers." And with that Issei began running into the woods to search for Kiba.

It was quiet a moment as Poseidon watched the standoff between the Phenex Queen and Gremory Queen and his son. They had engaged in some light banter but the atmosphere grew tense when talking had ceased. Percy looked murderous.

"You're going to pay for that" he growled quietly. Poseidon didn't think anyone was supposed to hear but the wind carried his words making them louder than they should have been.

Then his son did something Poseidon didn't expect at all.

 **CHAOS KARMA DRAGON! ZENITH TEMPEST BALANCE BREAKER!**

The God watched as Percy's body transformed into a strange blue metallic substance covering him head to toe. His fin-like wings sprang from his back covered in the same armor and his face was covered in a draconic helmet. His son let out a loud roar and around him a gust of wind whipped through the grounds while above the clouds churned back and forth ominously. Percy clasped his hands in a fist pointing them threatening towards the woman who seemed just as surprised as Poseidon and the other devils in the room were.

"I'm going to show you just how bad you fucked up!" Percy yelled towards the woman. Akeno stood next to him letting out soft giggles at the display and seemed just as eager as him to beat this woman.

"Well now" Zeoticus said aloud, "isn't that interesting." He said appraising his son as if looking at a new element had been added to an already interesting toy. Venelana nodded her head appreciatively at the display.

Sirzechs hummed in agreement still watching the screen. "Very interesting indeed. What other surprises will you show us this day Percy Jackson?"

As they all settled back into chairs they watched as the fight began.

* * *

To say Percy was angry was probably an understatement. Furious, infuriated, enraged. All just synonyms for the same emotion but they described his mood accurately.

Koneko and Issei were barely 50 feet from where he and Akeno stood and yet they all missed the presence of this woman flying above them. And Koneko paid the price for their inattention. It was a rookie mistake and he should have known better.

Issei was understandably upset too as he was caught up in the blast almost as much as Koneko had been. The kid might be a pervert but he had some heart and he obviously cared about the peerage as much as Percy himself did. Unfortunately, Percy knew they couldn't afford to deviate from the plan much more than they were about to. With Koneko out of commission that meant Issei had to join Kiba and try to make their way to Phenex's base. Rias had confirmed that she and Asia had abandoned their own base already and were making their way to Riser as they spoke in an effort to surprise him and hopefully put him on the defensive. Percy had let up on the storm outside Phenex's base so they could get through unimpeded as much as possible.

For a brief moment, Percy was tempted to join Issei and Kiba to protect Rias but he couldn't abandon Akeno after what just happened. This woman, Yubelluna Akeno had said her name was, was dangerous. The best member of Phenex's peerage aside from the arrogant King himself. And taking out Koneko in one shot just proved it. Akeno was really strong and she might not be as tired as Percy felt at the moment but Percy could still see she was breathing deeply from trying to call down that massive lightning bolt.

Lightning storms usually made Percy nervous as they reminded him subconsciously of his uncle. When he created storms of his own, he usually tried to avoid making lightning himself though of course his emotions occasionally got the better of him and they manifested themselves anyway.

But Akeno's lightning didn't make him as anxious as he might have thought they would. They weren't anywhere near as strong as Zeus' but he thought Akeno could probably outduel Thalia in terms of power. Probably Jason too as Jason seemed to rely more on his aerokinesis rather than his electrokinesis.

He wasn't sure but maybe because Percy was starting to get used to his powers of the Sacred Gear and was using lightning more, he felt closer to Akeno. Her powers worked well with his and their strike on the gym just emphasized that to him.

Akeno had engaged in light banter between herself and Yubelluna briefly but when she began flying up into the air, he realized the fight was beginning in earnest.

In the distance Percy saw Issei leave their sights around the corner of the cafeteria. Akeno flew up high into the air forcing the "Bomb Queen" as she was nicknamed to try and follow so as not to get outmaneuvered.

That's when Percy realized a problem.

He wanted to join in this fight as well. But he couldn't really fly well. His wings were designed to swim the deep seas, not soar the open skies, which he still didn't really understand as every other devil could fly fine. But that wasn't the worst part of it.

No, the worst was Percy didn't want to fly. Call it cowardice, call it fear. Percy liked to think of it more as self-preservation. Deep down he knew his uncle couldn't get to him in this alternate reality but he still didn't want to tempt fate. Every other time Percy's flown have always been filled with turbulence. Blackjack might have been neutral in the air but his Uncle specifically warned him against flying as a devil. And with Hades already furious with him he really didn't need Zeus going all out against him either.

He could practically see the two Queens duking it out in the distance. Akeno flared her lightning and Yubelluna shot out her bombs.

Percy ground his teeth eager to fight himself.

So, he did what he could to aid Akeno from the ground. He threw his hands forward and began calling forth the storms to his aid again. The clouds were still an angry blackness and it didn't take much to force them to start churning again. Percy put more of his power into the clouds trying to actively manifest lightning himself.

Akeno seemed to realize what he was doing as she flew closer towards the clouds. Lightning flashed all around her illuminating her body with pale blue streaks of light. They were about 200 yards in the air from Percy but he could see the sadistic glee in her eyes. She reveled in the power surging around her and combined it with her own creating more powerful blasts of lightning.

Yubelluna must have realized what he was doing too because she also sent a sporadic bomb blast his way. The glowing purple bombs started small but by the time they reached the ground they were flying all around him, ripping away the ground and sending flakes of rock in every direction. He moved slowly to avoid the blasts but it was difficult while keeping his focus on the storm. If he even let it go for a second, he knew there was a chance it would get unruly and then all his control over it would vanish. Akeno would potentially be at risk then and he wouldn't let that happen.

Thunder resounded throughout the skies as each lightning strike crashed to the ground. Yubelluna was surprising deft at evading the attacks but Percy could see her tiring.

Unfortunately, she wasn't the only one.

Percy was panting now from putting so much into the storm and restraining it. Even dissipating the other two storms he was tired from using so much energy up to this point. He hadn't allowed any rain to come down so Akeno wouldn't be affected but the strain of containing the storm was getting painful. It wanted to rage and lash out like a storm should but he was holding it back. And he wasn't alone in his tiredness either. Akeno was clearly breathing harder as well.

The sadist wasn't flying nearly as high anymore and Percy could see her impressive chest heaving with labored breathes. Worse, even with Percy's aid, her lighting wasn't quite as good anymore. She had used up more power in that strike against the gym than Percy realized and hadn't had enough time to properly recover.

Luckily, Yubelluna was tired as well. An occasional well-timed lightning blast from Akeno or Percy managed to hit her sapping her energy, not to mention that her bombs expended quite a bit of energy as well. The Bomb Queen had tried numerous times to maneuver Akeno directly above Percy so even if her bombs missed her, they would still force Percy to move away. It was a good strategy.

In the distance, Percy could hear the sounds of fighting and other blasts echo. He could make out a strange red light blast upwards into the air along with a burst of fire. He didn't know what was going on by the New Schoolhouse but it seemed Issei and Kiba had made contact with the enemy.

Turning his focus back to the fight at hand he watched as he and Akeno finally got lucky.

Percy had managed to move Yubelluna around by forcing her to avoid his smaller lightning blasts. He sent out three quick successive strikes in a triangular pattern essentially boxing the Queen in. The real power came from Akeno though.

While the Bomb Queen was essentially frozen in place Akeno sent a massive bolt down from the clouds directly in the center of the triangle. With nowhere to move, Yubelluna had no choice but to take the discharge and Percy could see from below that it had fried her good. The buxom woman was crashing to the ground fast and looked to be unconscious.

When she collided with the ground it made a loud explosion much like if one of her bombs had detonated. Akeno flew down quickly to Percy side and landed panting even harder than he had. She was disheveled and grimy but the excitement on her face was hard to miss. The woman really did get off on causing other people pain.

"How… are… you holding… up?" Percy asked her tiredly. He hadn't even really engaged in any fighting yet, serving more in a support role, but he sounded as if he had run five miles at a dead sprint.

Akeno responded just as tiredly. "All I need is a little rest and I'll recover just fine." Then she turned that sadistic grin on him. "Her, on the other hand… well I think we showed her just how much pleasure pain can be."

Percy gave her a grin back.

"Come on" he said while their breathing began evening out, "we should go catch up to the others. We've only got a few more of them to take out."

Akeno nodded, turned away from him and began walking slowly away to the Phenex Homebase. Percy hesitated a moment looking back as the smoke-filled crater making sure they were clear. Their combined attacks on her were overwhelming so he knew she couldn't be in the game still but something was nagging him. They were missing something but he didn't know what. He hadn't heard Sona's voice announcing her retirement from the game but she was unconscious. If that didn't constitute somebody being removed then Percy didn't know what would.

He paused a moment deciding he needed to check out the scene. Akeno walked a few more steps forward before realizing he wasn't with her anymore and turned around to see him in confusion.

"I'm just going to check out where she landed" Percy answered her unasked question. She nodded in acceptance just looking at him patiently as he made his way over to the enemy body.

As he got closer to the crater the dust began settling and the smoke was clearing away. He could make out the figure of Yubelluna lying unmoving on the ground in the center of the basin.

 _Why isn't she dissolving into blue dust like Koneko did?_ He wondered to himself. Percy looked around the crater seeing if there was something, he was missing but nothing seemed wrong. He took a deep breath, turning away from the crater, assuming it just took Grayfia a minute before she made her way over.

"Did you see anything?" Akeno asked him when he was only a few yards away.

He shook his head no though he still didn't feel right.

It was quiet as they began their walk towards the New Schoolhouse. Both were recovering their energy though Akeno seemed very tired. Percy hadn't noticed at first but it appeared she took a few more hits from Yubelluna than he originally thought.

"We're almost there" she said when they could see the top of the building just in front of them. Their eyes could make out the figure of Rias doing battle on the top of the New Schoolhouse against Riser; her strange destruction magic blasting away parts of his body only for him to rejuvenate it.

"Rias!" Percy said loudly. He began picking up his pace to get there quicker when he realized Akeno was still strolling along at the same pace as before. The demigod halted his progress instead waiting up for his partner in this battle though he did fidget in anticipation, practically urging her with his eyes to move faster, wanting to get to Rias so he could to beat the shit out of Riser.

When his Queen caught up again, she gave him a tired smile. "I'll be alright Percy. You go on ahead and get to Rias. She's going to need the help against him." She tried to play it off smoothly though Percy could see it was an act.

"What?!" Percy exclaimed shocked. "I'm not going to just leave you here. Come on. We can get to Rias together and then Asia will heal you."

Akeno gave him one of her patented teasing laughs though she brought her hand up and caressed his face with a tenderness he hadn't expected.

"Oh, don't go worrying about me hunny" she said softly, "Rias need you now. I'll make my way there as soon as I can."

Percy grimaced at the thought but knew there wasn't changing her mind. He wanted to protest, wanted to throw the girl over his shoulders and run the whole way to the Phenex base, but he knew he couldn't. Not and get there in time to really help Rias anyway. Instead he did the only thing he could; he gave her a nod and turned away running away from his Queen and towards his King.

He was barely 15 steps ahead of Akeno when a mocking, feminine voice suddenly began speaking. "Nah, Ah, ah" the voice taunted. "You didn't think this was over, did you? Now you've fallen into our little trap!"

Percy knew that voice. And he realized that he had just made a huge mistake.

Whipping himself around he saw Yubelluna flying in the air completely healed of all her injuries and looking ready to go another 12 rounds. The woman was glowing a deep purple and her staff was pulsing with her bomb powers ready to unleash another explosion. Her face showed exultation at surprising them and her laughter rang out in Percy's ear amused at his screw up.

For her part, Akeno didn't seem fazed by her counterpart's appearance. If anything, she seemed like she was expecting something like this. The Japanese woman's eyes narrowed slightly but she was still smiling, ready for more punishment. Both to deal and to be dealt.

"How…?" Percy asked unsure. He knew something was wrong when she didn't disappear or when she wasn't announced as retired. But she definitely seemed knocked out so something was wrong here. The demigod cursed himself for his ignorance of this game and its rules.

Yubelluna brought her free hand up holding a small flask that was empty. The container was no bigger than the size of her pointer finger with a pointed red cap on the top.

"These are Phoenix Tears. Capable of healing any injuries instantly. I have to admit, I'm surprised I even had to use these but it seems you're as tough as they said you were Priestess of Thunder."

Akeno brought her wings out and began to take flight though Percy could see she was struggling. Her body no longer gave off little sparks of electricity as it had earlier in the game so she had not managed to replenish enough of her magic yet.

"Oh, I don't think so" Yubelluna said. "I've had enough of you in this game. Goodbye Gremory Queen, enjoy the rest of the game from the sidelines."

The Phenex Queen somehow grew brighter purple still, her energy pulsing around her increasing in power.

Then she shoved her staff forward, directly into the path of a floundering Akeno, and released her bomb.

"AKENO!" Percy yelled as he watched the bomb burst from the staff. The ball of energy was large, maybe the size of an inflated beachball, and Percy knew when it connected it was going to hurt. Akeno seemed prepared for the strike; she called down lightning around her to prematurely detonate the explosion. Unfortunately, it wasn't powerful enough. Her lightning was fast but Akeno didn't have the strength to put much more into it than a light flicker and Yubelluna's bomb was too large to be affected.

Time seemed to slip into slow motion as the bomb finally reached a flying Akeno. At first, nothing seemed to happen. Akeno came into contact with the bomb but it didn't explode out the way Percy thought it would. No, instead it just stuck to his Queen like sap from tree and Akeno couldn't seem to break free of it.

Gradually, the bomb seemed to get smaller and smaller, folding and bending in on itself. Percy thought for a brief moment that Akeno was somehow beating the bomb but the woman's face didn't look like one of triumph. The bomb throbbed brighter and brighter with each bending of energy until soon the ball was too small and, instead of purple, it glowed a brilliant white.

BOOM!

Suddenly, Percy was thrown backwards from the force of the explosion, his armor protecting him from most of the damage. His head ached from slamming so hard into the ground and his vision went blurry for a minute.

When he was able to regain his equilibrium, he could see the falling form of Akeno as she fell rapidly from the sky. Percy quickly jumped to his feet and stumbled under her ready to catch her.

Regrettably, it didn't get that far.

Right as Percy positioned himself under her he saw the blue light begin dissolving her. When she finally reached the demigod, she was nothing but dust and particles drifting through his open hands.

"Lady Rias, one Queen, retired." Sona said aloud for all to hear.

Percy felt a moment of self-loathing. Akeno had asked him if he saw anything and he shook his head no. It was his fault that Akeno just got hurt.

Yubelluna laughed at the scene below her. Her laughter was a taunt every time it reached his ears. It was mocking him for his incompetence. _You're a fool_ he imagined it said, _you thought you could actually defeat us?_

"Tiamat" Percy said quietly. His words rang as hollow as he felt.

 **Hatchling** _ **?**_ His partner asked sympathetically. He didn't know dragons could even acknowledge sympathy but that was the last thing he wanted right now. Right now, he needed to focus on Yubelluna and then take care of Riser. The action was heating up by the Schoolhouse and he had a promise to fulfill still. He could ask for Akeno's forgiveness later.

"I need as much power as we can make. We need to get her on the ground." he said to her.

 **Hmmm… I can do that** _ **.**_ She confirmed.

"It's your turn now little Pawn. Get ready to join your Queen in retirement." Yubelluna said. She began glowing her purple color again letting her energy envelope her body.

Percy glared at her through his helmet. She couldn't see him but that wouldn't stop him from showing her his anger at her. This wasn't the same friendly Capture the Flag game from Camp. These Phenexs were actively trying to kill his team and weren't pulling back their punches. Capture the Flag also aimed to have the demigods kill each other but they all knew it was training. That was a huge difference. There wasn't the same malice in his fellow demigods that there was from this flying devil bitch.

"I told you that you were going to regret that before with Koneko. Well now I'm about to show you just why you should have stayed dead." He said softly. He doubted she even heard him but it felt right to say that anyway.

 _ **Now, Hatchling!**_ Tiamat urged in his mind.

Percy felt a run up of energy at Tiamat's words, feeling himself become filled with leashed power. He felt the tugging in his gut constrict on itself becoming slightly painful but pain didn't matter. The demigod entered a cold void were nothing but power resided. He forced his emotions, his anger, hatred, fear, all into this void using it only as an additional energy source.

Yubelluna looked at him curiously for a moment with that condescending grin on her face. He didn't know why until he raised his hands in front of him and saw he was thrumming with a visible blue-green energy. The energy reflected the deepest of blues, bordering on almost black at times, before flickering to a pale green and mixing together to every shade between.

"Let's see how you handle this Tempest!" he shouted when he felt he built up enough energy.

 **TEMPEST!** Tiamat screamed out loud for everyone to hear. If anyone didn't know he carried the Zenith Tempest as his Sacred Gear before, they did now.

Before Yubelluna could even do anything, a sudden storm appeared in the skies above them. Except this wasn't the same kind of storm as before. In this void of nothingness that Percy forced his thoughts and feelings into all that was left was the cold. And so, he created a winter storm.

Fast, whipping winds whirled around the pair forcing Yubelluna to lose concentration on her energy gathering. Her purple glow began diminishing as heavy hail and sleet descended from the ebony clouds crashing into everything. The Queen was being buffeted around like a rag doll and if Percy wasn't wearing his Sacred Gear's armor, he would have been trying to find cover himself.

"Land! Land and face me!" Percy roared at her. To anyone listening they would have heard the blandness with which he spoke. It wasn't anger as one might have expected, that was still bottled up in his void; it was simply a challenge.

"As if I'd give up the high ground" Yubelluna struggled to get out. Her hands covered her face to protect from the harsh winter weather. Her wings were extended to their furthest span in an effort to maintain control against the unrelenting winds and she flew erratically.

Percy let out a small growl breaking his void momentarily. "If you do not want to come down here then I will just have to make you." He spoke matter-of-factly.

So, he did something that shouldn't have been possible.

As Percy had once learned from Annabeth, lightning can only happen when the particles in the cloud create enough positive and negative charges that a spark occurs creating the electricity. He had absolutely no idea what that meant at the time as he just wanted to know if there was a way to counter Thalia's lightning against him but he eventually figured out that there needed to be enough hot and cold air colliding against one another to create the friction necessary for lightning. It was a parsed down explanation but it helped him understand Jason and Thalia's powers along with his own electrokinesis a little bit.

The winter storm was filled with nothing but cold air, the temperature so cold that the water particles froze in the clouds to create the hail and freezing rain. When the precipitation reached the ground, it cooled the dirt and concrete meaning there was no hot air to rise to the sky.

Which is why when lightning started flashing through the clouds in earnest, Percy knew it was his Sacred Gear defying what science said was possible. And perhaps some of his demigodly nature overriding it as well.

He put his anger into those lightning strikes causing Yubelluna to fly frantically in an effort to evade his unrelenting attack. If it wasn't the wind battering her it was the sleet blocking her vision and to top it all off was his merciless lightning.

Percy could practically feel the tingling sensation of the electricity as he allowed it to run rampant without guidance. Lightning flashed all around them with no discrimination in who or what it hit. He was sure he himself had been struck by the lightning once or twice, his armor proving to be a strong conductor of the electricity, but it didn't affect him with his Sacred Gear protecting him.

Yubelluna, on the other hand, was not so lucky.

All it took was three rapid strikes from the lightning to burn her wings causing her to cry out in pain. His blue electricity acting as the tool for his redemption for Akeno & Koneko. She crashed to the ground hard, landing on the gathering hail on the walkway below.

"Lord Riser, two Pawns, two Knights, and one Bishop, retired" the commentary of Sona said throughout the battlefield.

Percy ignored the update instead focusing on the enemy in front of him. He made steady steps towards the Bomb Queen.

 _She didn't disappear in blue particles though. She's still in the game_ he thought to Tiamat.

 _ **Indeed.**_ She thought back to him. _**Be wary. She's taken much damage from our fighting but she's not out yet. Let's put an end to her quickly.**_

The demigod nodded in agreement and stopped just short of the enemy Queen as she struggled to rise to her feet.

"You… are surprisingly strong… for a Pawn" Yubelluna panted out of breath. She winced every time she moved but the fact she was even _still_ moving proved just how powerful she really was.

"I don't have time for you." Percy said coldly. He stepped forward to knock her out once and for all but it seemed it wasn't going to be that easy. She still had some fight left in her.

"If I'm going down, I'm taking you with me!" she yelled madly over the biting winds. Yubelluna flung her staff out in a swinging motion hoping to catch him off guard in one last vain attempt at an attack.

Percy brought his left hand up and managed to catch the staff mid-swing surprised at the amount of force she put into it. Clearly, she was using all her remaining energy for this attack. He saw the purple ball of energy form in the metal tip of the staff and knew if it connected there was a good chance he would be knocked out of the game.

He couldn't let that happen though. Riser still waited for him on top of the school against Rias and Asia.

"HIYAH!" he shouted turning his body and bringing his right hand down across the wooden staff snapping it in two. The built-up energy was still small so when the staff broke it let out a minor burst of power hitting both Percy and Yubelluna equally and throwing them backwards. The difference was Percy was wearing his armor whereas Yubelluna had nothing to protect her.

The demigod scrambled to his feet quickly and saw his opponent lying on the ground. She was breathing but wasn't moving with her eyes open wide. He knew he this was his chance; he had to strike now.

Thrusting his right hand to the side, he felt the tugging in his stomach and formed a sword of ice from the hail on the ground. He had somehow forced the ice to its natural water state before freezing it again in a poor replica of Anaklusmos. He'd have to think more on those mechanics later but for now he was focused on finally taking her out.

"Enjoy the sidelines, bombitch" Percy said towering over her. Her eyes fluttered in recognition of him and she tried to raise her hands in defense but wasn't quick enough as Percy stabbed his ice blade down piercing her chest. She let out a cry in pain before finally dissolving into particles.

"Lord Riser, one Queen, retired." Sona announced.

Percy took a quick second to gather his breath but knew he was running out of time. Rias had been fighting against Riser for some time now and he didn't know the status of Issei or Kiba either. By most estimates, Phenex still had one bishop and one more rook though Percy wasn't sure.

Turning, he sprinted towards the New Schoolhouse ready to take out that douchebag once and for all.

"Hang on just a little longer Rias. I'm on my way."

* * *

"YEAH!" Poseidon roared as he watched his son take out such a difficult opponent. He was standing up, his chair back gripped tightly in anxiousness, riveted by the screen showing Percy running towards the remaining Phenexs. "DID YOU SEE THAT?! THAT'S MY BOY RIGHT THERE!" He clapped Zeoticus on the back hard causing the Duke to spill his glass of wine.

Sirzechs laughed at the display and smiled with the God but Poseidon didn't care what the Devil thought right then. Poseidon didn't get many opportunities to watch his son with running his sea kingdom but it was always moments like this that the god felt close to him. He didn't know how Percy felt on the subject but every time his son connected with his powers the God felt as if he was right there next to him.

"It was most impressive Lord Poseidon" Venelana said in agreement. Poseidon suspected she didn't understand he was also referring to feeling close to his son but she was looking at his son with approval as well so that was good enough.

The screen shuffled over to show a panting Rias Gremory blocking a blast of fire with her magic as a blond-haired girl stood beside her trying to heal her. Riser Phenex stood opposite the crimson haired woman with a smug look on his face.

"Can you not see how futile this fight is Rias, my love? With Riser's power, he can't lose."

Poseidon raised an eyebrow at the devils.

"Does he have to keep referring to himself in the Third Person?" the god asked. "He's almost as conceited as Apollo with his poetry."

Zeoticus shrugged his shoulders but gave the god a smile nonetheless.

"We've all got little quirks" the devil said. "Some are just a bit more… eclectic than others."

Poseidon nodded in agreement. He knew what the Duke meant. After all, it still surprised him when he learned Zeus liked techno music when it first came about. Then again, it was a variation of electropop and anything having to do with electricity was always a favorite to his brother.

"President!" shouted a voice on the tv recapturing Poseidon's attention.

There, standing in front of Rias were two of her team; the Knight Kiba and the Pawn Issei. Poseidon could acknowledge that they were fairly good fighters. The Knight was extremely fast not to mention very talented with those blades he made. The god could admit he wasn't sure how Celestial Bronze would hold up against something like that Holy Eraser he used. It was a question to bring up with Hephaestus and Athena when he next saw them.

Issei Hyoudou, on the other hand, was inexperienced as a fighter but carried a deadly weapon: The Boosted Gear. It had been many years since Poseidon had last encountered a wielder of the powerful Longinus and he wasn't really eager to face another. The last time, Ares had foolishly challenged the wielder and lost. Badly. The idiot god almost died too. Zeus had decreed after that that we Olympians would stay away from the Longinus wielders. It was a surprisingly smart decision from his idiot brother.

"So, your little toys have decided to join us then" Riser mocked the Rias. His smile never diminished and he looked as cool as a cucumber.

"Hey douchebag!" Issei shouted, his fist tightened angrily at the Phenex King. "Why don't you come over here and find out just what this toy can do to you!" he taunted.

Riser seemed a bit surprised at the brash display but it was quickly replaced with laughter. He bent over, his already loose, white shirt pulling itself out of his burgundy trousers.

Then the laughing seemed to stop almost abruptly as it started with Riser reflecting a strange gleam in his eye.

"If that's the way you want it." Riser said loudly regaining his smarmy smile. Suddenly, flaming bright orange and red wings sprouted from his back that easily spanned ten feet from back to wingtip. His clothes completely unaffected by the blazing fire.

Poseidon watched knowing what was about to happen. The rooftop was narrow and Rias couldn't protect them all from his attack. It was just a matter of figuring out who would get the brunt of it.

 **Boost!** Issei's Sacred Gear yelled aloud as it powered it. The God was slightly amazed that the boy could still do it after all the fighting they did today. He too was tired especially after helping the Knight take out those remaining Phenex Pawns and Knights.

"Let's see how you handle this!" Phenex bellowed forming red hot fireballs in his hands. He let them grow to the size of volleyballs before he threw them one at a time towards the Gremory Devils.

The fireballs glowed an angry red as they approached the devils. Rias struggled to make a shield to protect everyone as Poseidon anticipated, only managing to cover herself and Issei with Asia fortunately behind them also being covered. That, unfortunately, left the Knight Kiba to absorb the remaining fireballs.

The Knight moved quickly though. Instead of jumping away from the fireball, Kiba slide under it managing to avoid it completely. Which was very lucky because when the fireball soared past him and out past the roof of the New Schoolhouse it exploded in a roaring explosion of flames. The devils turned around momentarily to watch the display, clearly in surprise at just how powerful that blast really was.

"Not bad. Not bad at all" Riser said in condescending appreciation. "Unfortunately," he continued, "You're all alone up here now without my beloved's protection. Let Riser show you true power."

Before Kiba could even move backwards Riser had zoomed forward with the aid of his wings and stopped right in front of the Knight. Poseidon thought it probably had something to do with being the "King" as they called the leader of their teams. He made a note to bring it up at the council meeting he was going to call.

The blonde-haired guy stood defiant in the face of Phenex, his sword trying to be raised from its position on his side.

"Good game little Knight. I'll be sure my bride treats you well after our wedding." The Phenex jeered.

Poseidon saw what was going to happen before the Knight probably even realized it. He tried to swing his sword in a futile effort to get some distance between him and Riser but it was all for naught. Phenex brought his wings forward and enveloped both him and Kiba in a circle of flames and squeezed it tighter and tighter. The devils and Poseidon couldn't see what was happening but if the screams of Kiba were anything to go by then it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

"Lady Rias, one Knight, retired." Sona announced when the screaming stopped after a minute. Riser threw his wings back wide to their full span revealing the sparkling blue dust that once was Kiba. His confidant grin having never left his face.

"Kiba!" Issei screamed. The Pawn looked furious and Poseidon didn't blame him. He'd been on the receiving end of flame attacks before and even with his natural protection against them being the God of the Seas he knew it wasn't exactly pleasant either.

Riser turned his grin towards the Gremory devils forming more fireballs in his hands. "It's your turn now Pawn scum" he sneered at Issei. Then he released a barrage of strikes not yet scene in this game.

Rias pulled Issei and Asia close to her and kept forming magic circles in front of them to prevent the onslaught of fireballs from reaching them. It was an admirable effort but despite how fast Rias was being healed by Asia behind her it wasn't replenishing her quick enough and she was losing strength fast. It took less and less fireballs each time for Riser to shatter the circle and Rias was forced to make another one.

Every time she made a new circle, they were all forced backwards towards the end of the roof. Pretty soon Asia was up against the edge and they had nowhere else to go. Riser took a minute to stop his attacks when he realized their predicament.

"Rias, my dear, can't you see how much of a waste this is? Stop this now and Riser won't have to hurt any more of your servants." The devils said in what Poseidon thought was an attempted pleading way. The god hadn't even met this guy before but even he could tell there was fake sincerity in his words. Not after what he's just done in this game anyway.

Before Rias could say anything Issei spoke up. "You dick!" he yelled. "I'm gonna beat your ass down for all this. I'm not stopping until we've won! I made a promise to the President to be the best Pawn there ever was and I'm not going to give up now!"

Riser smiled at the boy shaking his head at his words. "It seems I'll have to show you just how weak you really are then lowborn." Then he formed the biggest fireball of the game yet.

The ball easily grew to the size of Issei himself. Riser wasn't screwing around and Poseidon doubted Rias would be able to protect them from that.

"Enjoy the price of your arrogance Pawn" Riser heckled when he determined the ball had enough power in it. The Phenex King launched the strike directly at the Gremory devils and they all seemed momentarily caught in awe at the power the strike held.

When the fireball connected with Rias' Circle Poseidon could hear her yell out in strain. She was trying to put everything she could into its protection spell and Poseidon saw it glow a deep ruby red as it held back the fireball.

But hold it back it did. The God thought he saw some small cracks form in the Circle but that could have easily been his imagination as he didn't really understand how their magic system worked all that well. Despite that, the fireball couldn't break through the shield and instead exploded wide right in front of them but not hitting them.

Poseidon was impressed with the girl though he didn't like admitting it. He was furious at her for resurrecting his son but the god was in her family's company and it didn't seem wise to insult or degrade her in front of them. But she did have some power to her which would mean she could eventually grow into a big problem for them. He'd have to get a full report on her from his son when they talked next.

Unfortunately, what the Gremory devils didn't see was the second giant fireball coming up right behind the first. Poseidon knew the girl didn't have the strength to hold up a second time.

When the fireball connected with the shield this time it shattered completely, her magic being completely overwhelmed by the flames. The only saving grace was it detonated almost as soon as it impacted this time causing the fire to blast out erratically and forcing Rias and Issei to the ground.

In an attempt to save the last girl, Issei dove forward from his crouching position and ended up knocking Asia's legs out from her. Normally, this would have saved her but because of her positioning on the roof it only caused her to fall over the side and slide down the tiles before falling over the edge to the ground below.

"ASIA!" Rias shouted at the girl as she fell over. A gust of wind whirled around them causing her hair to whip about wildly. She looked upset with herself for something, probably not protecting the girl quicker Poseidon assumed, but she quickly stilled her face to an angry expression, glaring right back at Riser.

"I've had enough of the tool's bullshit attacks!" Issei said getting to his feet. "As long as I can still stand, I'm not giving up. Not after Koneko and Akeno and Kiba and Asia."

"I couldn't have said it better myself Issei" Rias said still watching the Phenex King. "Let's take him out together!"

Issei nodded. "Red Dragon Emperor" he said next, "give me the strength to take down this dillhole! Connect with my emotions and give me your power." He threw his left hand in the air and Poseidon watched as it glowed a bright emerald green.

 **Boost!**

"Again!" Issei asked

 **BOOST!**

"One more time!" Issei took off running towards Phenex with all his remaining energy.

 **BOOST!**

"Let's do this! Again!" The Pawn was about ten feet away from Riser now, his fist caulked back to throw a punch.

 **Boo…s…t** the Sacred Gear suddenly said. Issei's dragon arm began glowing green once more but shut off before it could even finish its powerup.

Poseidon watched as Pawn tripped over himself and fell sideways off the roof onto the lower building 12 feet down.

Sona's voice came through the screens making another announcement. "Unlike any of the other Sacred Gears, the Boosted Gear has a way of taxing it's hosts physical strength without warning. To be honest, I think the fact he even managed to enhance himself at all after everything is practically a miracle. His magic power was virtually exhausted before that last attack from Lord Riser even happened."

Poseidon agreed with the assessment. He had watched as the boy forced himself to get stronger against the Phenex peerage outside their base. Issei might not have been visibly panting but even with the strength of the Queen promotion it was obvious he was running on fumes.

"This is over" Riser sneered down at the struggling body of Issei. He jumped down on the lower roof and picked up the boy by this throat holding him at eyelevel. "How pathetic. You thought you could defeat the Great Lord Riser?"

It started raining around them but Phenex's flames weren't affected by the raindrops burning them instead into vapor. Rias flew down and tried to throw a stream of her destruction magic at him only to have it batted aside by his wings. The attack was weak anyway with how much energy Rias had expended earlier.

"I can still fight" Issei said weakly flailing his arms in light taps against the burgundy clad man. "This… isn't… over… yet" he tried to say between gasps of breath.

"Oh, it most definitely is" Riser said. "I'm going to enjoy killing you foolish Pawn."

Then he began wailing on the boy.

* * *

Percy was close now. He could see everyone at the top doing battle. Riser had just closed his wings around something and Percy could hear the screaming even from here.

"Lady Rias, one Knight, retired" Sona announced.

 _I guess that answers that_ he thought growling to himself. Somehow, Issei and Kiba and Rias had managed to take out most of their team which left only Riser and his second Bishop left.

He was running straight past a large fortification of swords sticking pointy end up from the ground when he heard a feminine voice.

"Well look who decided to join the fun?"

Percy stopped in his track and spun about until he saw a younger girl with a light purple dress with dark accents on the cuffs and neckline standing about 15 feet away from him. A big blue bow was stitched into the front of her dress covering her chest. She was relatively short, about a foot shorter than him anyway, and her long, blonde hair was tied into curling twintails.

"And who are you, pipsqueak?" he asked keeping one eye on the fight on the roof. He didn't have time to get into a prolonged fight but if he could distract her maybe he could get a quick strike in and end this. He began taking small steps towards her in an effort to make one surprise attack so he could move on.

She didn't seem bothered by his advancement but did huff at the pipsqueak comment. She answered him all the same though. "I'm Ravel Phenex, a bishop in my brother's peerage."

He was steadily making his way over too her but that drew him up short. "Phenex?" he asked unsure even though he clearly heard her.

The girl smiled at him batting her eyelashes. Probably an attempt to catch him off guard with seduction.

"Yes, Phenex. I'm the only daughter of the Phenex family and service Riser as his bishop. I have to admit, I thought when I saw that other Pawn of Rias', the perverted one, that she had terrible taste but now I'm not so sure." She gave him an innocent schoolgirl smile but Percy could admit it didn't look nearly as good on her as it did on Asia.

"I don't have time for this" Percy said angrily. His earlier void was shattered, the winter storm from before breaking up. He was tired too from using his power too much. Four different storms with multiple lightning strikes had exhausted him to his limit. The ground around Percy and Ravel was damp but not nearly wet enough for him to absorb enough power to make a big difference for him. In fact, it would probably drain him more trying to pull the water from the ground than was worth it.

"Oh, don't worry" Ravel said smiling still. "I don't fight, I just like to watch. My brother will take care of you and the others. I have to admit, he was very angry when he came back home from meeting with Rias at her house the other day. I'm not sure what you said exactly but he's made it a point to teach you a lesson."

Now it was Percy's turn to smile.

"Guess he didn't get the memo then" he said half self-deprecating. "I'm an awful student."

He brought his ice sword he was still carrying up in an attack when he heard a yell come from the roof.

"ASIA!" Rias screamed immediately drawing Percy's attention. Ravel hadn't moved an inch, clearly not frightened by his attack, instead watching with some glee as she saw the former nun stumble over the roof and begin falling to the ground.

Percy didn't hesitate. Twirling around, he ignored a sputtering Ravel behind him oddly surprised he just left her there. He began running for all his worth trying to get to the girl before she hit the ground.

It became clear he wasn't going to get there quick enough though when she was halfway towards the ground. He still had at least 20 yards to cover and she only had 15 till she collided.

"No" he whispered to himself harshly. Asia was screaming the entire time she was falling and her eyes were slammed shut not wanting to watch her fate.

"Tiamat" he said still running. "Help me. Please?"

His partner hummed in agreement fortunately. _**Yes, Hatchling. I will aid.**_

Percy didn't know what that meant but they were running out of time. Asia was only nine yards from the ground now and falling fast.

As if moving of its own volition, Percy's arm flung forward and he felt a massive expenditure of power leave his body. He almost stumbled but through sheer willpower managed to keep moving forwards as a massive gust of wind surged around the Schoolhouse and weak droplets of water vapor from the ground flowed upwards and caught Asia in a cradling motion. It didn't stop her momentum, she was moving way to fast for that, but it did slow her significantly till Percy was finally able to get underneath her.

"AHHHH-oomph" Asia said when she finally fell into his embrace. He feared his metal armor would hurt her so he dismissed the Balance Breaker knowing he might be too exhausted to form it again. Asia was more important though so he gladly took the risk

When Asia finally opened her eyes, they bulged wide in shock. "Percy?" she asked hesitantly, as if she couldn't believe he was here and holding her.

He gave her a very tired smile.

"I told you if I could be there to protect you I would" he mumbled out. The demigod collapsed to his knees still managing to hold her but too tired to move forward.

"Oh!" she said in her innocent voice. "You're hurt."

Percy wanted to laugh but it came out as a sort of wheeze. Only Asia could say the obvious and seem completely surprised by it.

"We need to get you into the schoolhouse" she said. "You can promote in there and I'll heal you."

Percy nodded almost having forgot about the promotion. He managed to get to his feet though Asia had to grab his sides and walk with him inside the building.

When they finally got inside, he leaned back on the wall letting it hold his wait while Asia got to work. He watched in slight fascination as her hands glowed a sea green color and pressed them against his body. He remembered the color being a more vibrant green the first time he saw them used, much more like the emerald shade of her eyes, so he didn't really know why the color had changed slightly. He made a mental note to think about it when they weren't playing this game.

"Do you know what you'll promote to?" Asia asked shyly while she worked on healing him. It seemed more like something to distract them from his injuries than a serious question.

The demigod nodded. He had thought about it a bit since the start of the game.

When they first entered Percy knew he was going to choose a Queen. Her versatility between the pieces made her the most ideal choice as he'd become durable like a Rook, fast like a Knight, and gain more power like a Bishop. It seemed like a no-brainer.

But after seeing how each of them could be taken down still by a skilled opponent, Percy had revised his thoughts slightly. He was naturally gifted with superior reflexes and skills due to his demigod nature so he already had a leg up there. What he really needed the most right now was his power though. It was easily his weakest of the three right now as he had used so much of it already and he didn't have a steady source of water nearby.

Feeling slightly better from Asia's healing, he stood up straight and looked to the stairs.

"Promotion: Bishop!" he said and suddenly felt a burst of energy enter him. He felt his powers pulse throughout his body and it felt almost as refreshing as if he had just entered the Atlantic Ocean. The surge didn't last long but he felt rejuvenated for the moment and that was all that mattered.

Asia stepped away from him looking up with a smile on her face pleased he had chosen her own Evil Piece.

"Tiamat! Balance Breaker!" he yelled knowing he had just regained enough power to do this.

Tiamat responded to his call.

 **CHAOS KARMA DRAGON! ZENITH TEMPEST BALANCE BREAKER!**

Percy watched as his blue armor spread out over his body once more. His fin-like wings again sprang from back covered in the same metallic protection as the rest of his body and he felt a small blast of blue energy burst from him when he was covered completely.

"Asia" Percy said, voice reverberating in the metal helmet, "you stay here, alright? You've done enough and can rest now." Percy turned his head to look up the stairs. "I'll handle the rest from here."

Asia nodded and slumped back against the wall herself at his command. Clearly, she was more tired than she thought she was.

"I'm coming for you Riser" Percy said calling on his powers once again. He felt the storm inside him raging to be released and gave into the temptation. He watched outside as once more the green sky was covered in threatening black clouds and small raindrops began falling.

"Get ready to have your ass handed to you"

And with those words, Percy took off up the stairs, running as fast as he could for the roof.

* * *

Poseidon watched the scene with the occasional wince. How on Olympus this boy was even still standing with the beating he was taking Poseidon didn't know. His face was marred with bruises and cuts and blood dripped down his face seeping into his clothes. The rain began pouring down in earnest, helping to wash some of the blood away, but Riser's flames managed to evaporate a surprising number of them.

"Come…on" Issei struggled to say between breathes. He had coughed up blood on more than one occasion now and Poseidon was amazed he hadn't passed out from blood loss yet. "Is… that… the best… you… got" he taunted.

The god shook his head at the scene. The boy had lost and just didn't know when to quit. It was a trait his son possessed and one Poseidon could admire but there was a time and a place for it. This game was not it.

Riser snarled at the words. "You – think – you – can – still – fight – me!" he raged, punctuating each pause with another punch. Issei should have collapsed by then but Riser's punches were too quick to let him fall down.

"A… Pawn… of… Rias Gremory… never… gives up" Issei managed to get out. "And… I'll be… the mightiest… Pawn… of… them… all"

"Foolish boy" Poseidon said at the tv.

Sirzechs hummed in agreement. "Indeed, he's got heart though. Have to give him that."

Poseidon nodded. This kid could certainly take a beating.

The screen zoomed out to show Rias struggling behind Riser and Issei begging the man to stop attacking. Unfortunately, as long as Issei didn't fall unconscious or give up it didn't seem like Grayfia was going to retire him from the game.

"No! Issei! Riser, please?" Rias said. She cared a great deal about her peerage. Poseidon made a note about that. He could maybe use it against her when the war broke out.

Riser didn't turn to acknowledge her but did respond. "Riser told this worthless Pawn what would happen my dear. He needs to suffer the consequences now. Don't worry, Riser will help his beloved bride find an acceptable replacement Pawn once they are married."

Rias shouted out in despair right as a loud crackle of thunder boomed from the sky.

"Please, Riser. Stop! Let him go! I…" she yelled, her words getting lost in the roaring of thunder.

Right then the window to the roof slammed open, glass shattering and hinges breaking away from the wood. Poseidon watched as his son, clad in his Sacred Gear's armor stepped out onto the roof

"PHENEX!" Percy yelled staring down at the lower roof with what Poseidon assumed was a fierce expression. The helmet covered his face so he couldn't be sure but if Poseidon knew his boy, which he did fairly well, then it wasn't hard to figure out he was angry.

"YEAH!" Poseidon yelled again as his son finally arrived. He watched with anticipation of the oncoming fight between Phenex and Percy unable to take his eyes away from the television for anything.

Riser didn't move though he had a smug look on his face. The fireball he had been forming in his hands to strike at Issei slowly dissipating to nothingness again. Percy launched himself from the top roof to the lower one ready to attack.

"Game Over" Grayfia announced causing everyone watching to groan in displeasure.

"WHAT!" Poseidon roared at the television. This is what he came for after all and now it was being denied him. Percy had already proven he could take out these devils but the God wanted to watch as his son took out a such a skilled opponent.

"Lady Rias's resignation is recognized. Lord Riser Phenex is the winner of the game." Grayfia continued.

Poseidon gripped the chair back in front of him so hard that he snapped it. "NO!" he bellowed again. He seethed with anger as he watched his boy do the same. The storm on the battlefield raged with his fury unleashing his anger with Poseidon being unable to do the same in his current location.

Turning around to look at Sirzechs he saw a similar disappointed expression on the Great Devil's face. He too had wanted to watch the exchange between Percy and Riser and was slightly upset at being denied it though it also appeared it wasn't the end of the world for him.

"That is a shame" Venelana said still watching the screen. Her eyes were glued to Percy as well. "I was very much looking forward to seeing a fight between those two."

Zeoticus shrugged his shoulders in a laid back way but Poseidon could see he too was interested.

"Call one then" Poseidon demanded looking at Sirzechs. The Devil didn't seem surprised by his tone.

"Unfortunately," Sirzechs began, "this game was setup to determine whether Rias would honor her betrothal to Riser and she has lost. There is nothing more I can do currently."

Poseidon wanted to growl but kept his anger inside instead putting on his stoic face that reminded people of the serenity of the seas. Sirzechs could easily allow a fight between them being a Satan but just chose not to.

"I will admit" Zeoticus said after a moment of silence, "I was very disappointed with Phenex's play. He outclassed Rias with a full set of 15 pieces while she only played with six."

Venelana nodded in agreement.

"I agree" Sirzechs said still watching the screen as medical devils came onto the battlefield and started retrieving the remaining players and taking them to get healing.

Then the Great Devil turned to look Poseidon right in the eyes. "A shame indeed. Perhaps I might be inclined to allow a fight if somebody were to make a challenge. Then again, he'd have to be sure it's what he wanted. There's always the possibility he could die."

The message was loud and clear to Poseidon. Sirzechs wouldn't grant a fight demanded by the God himself but he would if his son made the challenge.

Poseidon nodded in understanding. A smile flashed on Sirzechs face before he turned away from the others and took his leave.

"It was good seeing you again Lord Poseidon. I have a feeling our next meeting won't be quite as long away."

Poseidon watched for a moment as the Satan disappeared in a throng of exiting devils. Sirzechs would definitely be a very difficult opponent when the war came. He knew it would have to be either himself or one of his brothers who engaged him.

"Did you have a good time at least Lord Poseidon?" Venelana asked politely. "You're son was very impressive and we look forward to seeing what more he is capable of."

Poseidon gave her the most authentic looking fake smile he could come up with. He turned to look at the screen one last time as he watched his son finally release his Balance Breaker and let the storm cease. Rias had come up to him and hugged him with tears dripping down her face into his clothes. They would learn soon enough just what his son was truly capable of.

He turned one last time to the Duchess of Gremory. "I did at that Lady Gremory. It was certainly an… enlightening experience" he said trying to come up with the right word.

The Devil woman gave him another smile. "I hope with your son being so close to Rias we will run into each other much more often." With that Venelana and Zeoticus took their leave of him and began following the masses outside into their Underworld.

Poseidon watched them depart until he was the only one left in the room. He finally released his stoic expression, his eyes getting a sharp glare to them.

"Yes Venelana, I have a feeling we'll being seeing more of each other very soon too."

And after Poseidon visited Percy's dreams tonight he'd make sure of it.

Looking at the empty room around him one last time, Poseidon turned himself into water vapor and returned to his Sea Kingdom preparing to call a council meeting to inform them of all he learned.

 **AN:**

 **Hello all. Here's the next chapter you've all been anticipating. I hope you enjoy it as I tried to give it a slightly different take by having Poseidon watch it. Not sure if it was clear at times but hopefully it made sense. Let me know if it was difficult to read in a review.**

 **Now, I realize this might be a bit later than you guys wanted and I had numerous requests for an update. Just a reminder that I always keep the expected publishing date on my profile. When I do have to change the publishing date, I usually try to give a reason why. You'll notice that I had to change the last one because I was trying to buy a house. For those who aren't aware, buying a house is a complicated process that is very time consuming as it has to happen in a short time frame. There is a lot that goes into it and the negotiations can be fragile. I hope this clarifies any questions anyone might have had about why the publishing date changed.**

 **Concerning the chapter, I realize some people might not like how it turned out because Percy didn't seem to have any real action other than his fight with Yubelluna. I expect that. This is mainly because the big showdown is going to be between Percy and Riser next chapter. I didn't want to have it here because I have something planned next chapter that I think you will enjoy. You'll have to read and find out.**

 **Additionally, I wanted to both show that Issei is still pretty badass in this while being true to his character and letting everyone know I haven't forgotten about him. We didn't get to see his fight against Isabella and the others but that was because we instead saw Poseidon watch as Percy beat Yubelluna. Plus, I wanted to still have Issei show he's got a lot of fight in him still. He isn't the main character in this story but he's still important to it. And once again, he will still have his own harem, so for you complaining about how Percy's stealing all the girls you can relax. Next character arc will finally give Issei some girls to share his perverted ways with.**

 **One last thing, I've had a couple of people now say that I should change the tag on the story from adventure/romance. Initially I didn't think much of it because there is still adventure and romance in this even if it isn't the traditional kind one might expect. However, I think it's a fair point to evaluate. The romance I think is still there but I can understand wanting to change the adventure tag. If you guys could tell me in the reviews what you think it should be and why then I would consider changing it.**

 **As always guys, thank you for reading and hopefully leaving me reviews. Next chapter posting is up on my profile so check that out if you want to know when I expect to publish next.**

 **Stormwreckin**


	23. Chapter 20: King Nothing

Chapter 20: King Nothing

Emptiness. That was the only word that could describe the desolate waste Percy found himself staring into. He was in an ocean so vast and deep with only salty sea water surrounding him.

But it was a good kind of nothingness. It was the kind that he could release the rage he'd been feeling all day long.

"AGHHH!" he roared into the dark abyss of the seas. The ocean around him churned with his anger and he could sense the currents around him become agitated with his emotions.

The demigod thrust his hand out and watched as he formed sparring dummies made of ice in front of him. They didn't move, he commanded them only to remain floating in the water, and he pulled Riptide out of his pocket, pleased as his blade elongated into his bronze weapon. He slashed and hacked at each dummy feeling better with each debilitating stroke.

 **Hmmm** Tiamat hummed pleasantly behind him. He didn't acknowledge her presence but they both knew they were together.

"HIYAH" he continued on, swinging his sword. The next took off the head of an ice dummy resembling that devil Yubelluna. Percy was furious that he had been so caught up in fighting her he lost sight of the more important fight with Riser.

"AYAH" Percy yelled stabbing the chest of the next dummy which resembled the smug face of that asshole Riser. He sunk his sword deep through the heart until he was face to face with the ice statue and then pulled away by yanking it upwards through his neck and head causing the dummy to crumble, bisected diagonally.

Only one dummy left now. Percy turned to face the last ice sculpture and charged it sword raised high.

"AHHHH!" he bellowed ready to swing his sword down in a vertical slash. He was so close and his body practically begged him to satisfy his dark desire to destroy everything.

Percy stopped himself just barely an inch away from the ice dummy's face when he could make out the details. Somewhat long hair that ended in points covered the head and cuts and scrapes were sketched to fine details on the face. When he took in the full figure of the dummy, he saw the school uniform of Kuoh Academy etched as clothing with a dragon's claw making up the left arm.

It was Issei in all his stupid enthusiasm though beat up. He looked just the way he did after the Rating Game against Riser with his body bruised and battered like no one Percy had ever seen before.

A scaly feeling ran along Percy's skin and when he looked down, he saw a dark blue dragon's tail rubbing itself along his right arm. It flickered back and forth possessively but not menacingly.

 **Why the hesitation Hatchling?** Tiamat questioned in his ear. Her words were quiet but they echoed in the empty ocean.

Percy turned his head just to the left and saw long, pale blue hair floating in the water over his shoulder before it pulled itself behind him and out of sight.

 **You should finish him off** she urged the demigod, growling softly.

The son of Poseidon felt a searing anger right then in agreement with the dragon. He _should_ destroy Issei's dummy. Because of that fool Rias lost the game and Percy never got to fight Riser.

 _And she has to marry him now_ a small voice said in the back of his head. He pushed it aside.

 **Yes… DO IT,** she commanded.

Percy roared again and brought his sword up high before he swung down with all his strength. The glowing bronze crashed through the ice shattering it to tiny pieces. Little flakes of Issei's face floated away into the void of this dreamlike place and with them went Percy's anger.

 **Mmmmm** Tiamat cooed, pleased with his choice. Her tail coiled around his midsection and pulled him tight against her surprisingly fleshy body.

He watched until all the pieces of Issei and Riser and Yubelluna disappeared into the depths below and he was left alone with only his thoughts and Tiamat for company.

"I shouldn't have done that" he sighed warily.

Tiamat pulled him a little too tightly at his words but not too uncomfortably so. The message from her was clear. She didn't approve of Issei or Ddraig and wouldn't accept his remorse concerning them either.

"It wasn't his fault how things ended." He said aloud. Then he revised his words when he realized the inaccuracy of them. "At least, it wasn't entirely his fault. Yes, he stupidly challenged Riser when he was already exhausted and didn't know much about fighting but it was Rias who forfeited the game. Granted, she did it to save his life when Riser wouldn't quit but still, there were still the four of us against only him. We could have won. I doubt that Ravel girl would have helped."

He brought his fist down and slammed it into his other hands' palm in a show of emotion.

Percy wanted to be upset with Rias. In one respect he was. She _had_ given up the game when they were ahead. Percy and Asia were definitely tired and he was sure Rias herself was, but he felt they could have bested Riser eventually.

But he also knew that was somewhat irrational of him. Issei was on the last leg of his life according to the medical devils that collected them. If Rias hadn't intervened when she did then it was likely he would have died. And while the kid was a pervert Percy didn't want anyone to die unnecessarily, Issei included.

 **And what about our Treasures?!** Tiamat demanded of him. **I am sure Ddraig is waking soon. The boy has grown too powerful for him not to.**

"I made you a promise" he said, "I will rebuild a collection of treasures and we will confront Issei and Ddraig. But only when the dragon has awoken."

Tiamat growled but remembered their agreement.

 **Fine.** She said, clearly upset to have to postpone the confrontation with Issei however temporary it might be.

Percy lay floating in the space just letting his mind wonder now. Two full days had passed since the Rating Game and he hadn't made contact with the other devils. Asia had stopped by his room briefly but she had spent most of her time trying to speed up the healing of Issei. He still hadn't asked her about her Twilight Healing magic color changing but he knew there was plenty of time for that later.

The devils were holding an engagement party for the wedding tonight but he had chosen not to attend. He had heard from Akeno that Rias really wanted him there but he just didn't have the heart. Percy felt he had let Rias down after he practically instigated the whole game in the first place.

That wasn't to mention she did try ordering him to come first. He was still angry about that as well.

Looking up he could see the top of the ocean above. He had tried swimming to the surface but no matter how close he got he never could seem to break through.

"Tiamat" he began, "where are we?" He only explored the immediate vicinity of the ocean but this didn't feel like a normal dreamscape for him.

The dragon moved from behind him in the water and stopped in front of him revealing herself at last.

Tiamat would easily have been described as a beautiful woman. Probably an ideal woman for Percy considering she had long, pale blue hair, dark blue eyes and in the ocean, she seemed to radiate a cold blue aura. If there was a word to describe her it was blue.

The odd part was the long dragon's tail that extended from her above her behind. He knew to expect it considering her tail was wrapped around his torso not a few minutes ago but it was still strange to see a tail on her. It reminded him of the same scaly blue of his armor when Zenith Tempest formed.

Despite all that, Percy felt no attraction to her. She was essentially part him when he thought about it. She was the soul in his sacred gear and had been with him from birth.

Tiamat gave a wicked smile showing off sharp teeth.

 **I've pulled you inside of Zenith Tempest. This is the where I reside and where we can meet face to face. When you eventually die a small portion of your consciousness will come here to reside with me.**

Percy nodded his head in understanding. It made sense that Tiamat's home would be the ocean. She was a dragon of the salty seas.

The demigod felt at peace here with only the blankness of the seas around him. The currents swirled around him now that his emotions finally calmed down and the vibrant colors stood out. He saw all different greens and blue and purples and silvers and it looked exactly like the Atlantic Ocean. He thought that maybe when he did die this wouldn't be such a bad place to be. Closing his eyes, he put his arms behind his head and just floated in the water. He felt peace and relaxation at last.

Unfortunately, his brief respite from the world couldn't last.

 **You have a visitor Hatchling** Tiamat said. Percy opened an eye and turned to look at his partner questioningly. **Your father is here and trying to wake you up.**

Just then Percy felt the seascape quiver. The ocean churned back and forth and Percy heard a deep rumbling sound from above the surface.

The demigod sighed. He had expected to hear from the Olympians after the game. No doubt his father had already informed the council that the devils were aware of his heritage. The fact they waited two days before contacting him was probably not a good sign.

"Alright" Percy said exasperated. "I suppose I should go see what the _Great and Almighty_ Olympian Council wants." Tiamat gave him a look of amusement.

"How exactly -" he began saying only to suddenly be ripped through the water. He felt a yanking pulling him towards the surface and right as he crashed through…

He shot up from his bed gasping for breath.

Throwing his blanket to the side he saw the stoic face of Poseidon looking down at him. Percy tried to read his expression to see just how much trouble he was in but his father's poker face was too good.

"Erm, dad. Hey. Long time no see" he said lightly. Poseidon didn't say anything instead continuing to look at him. Percy fidgeted a bit under the scrutiny.

After another few seconds of uncomfortable silence Poseidon finally exhaled loudly and sagged a bit. He looked very much his thousands of years old right then with all the weight and responsibility of being a god. Percy withheld the cringe he felt forming.

"Percy" Poseidon said simply. "I saw your match the other day." The god didn't elaborate further.

"You did? Those devils can be pretty crazy huh?" Percy winced as he said that. He shouldn't have brought up the devils but he didn't know what else to say.

Poseidon raised an eyebrow at that. Then a small smile broke out on his face and Percy felt some of the levity of the situation leave.

"You did well. Taking out that Yubelluna devil and forming all those storms. Why I know for a fact that your cousins could not have accomplished such a feat. It was very impressive."

Percy colored under the praise. His dad had of course commended him before but Percy didn't think he'd ever get use to it. Years of being bullied and looked down on by his classmates and teachers tended to have to effect on a person.

"However," and now the downside came. "Your position has been compromised and the devils now know you are a demigod with ties to Olympus. The council is… understandably angry by this news."

"Well it's not like I told them flat out" Percy said bending the truth slightly. He felt a bit bad about not being completely forthcoming with his dad but it wouldn't do him or anyone else any good if he explained how he basically pushed Rias and her family into connecting the dots. Besides, he hadn't actually said he was a demigod. And once they knew it would have been more dangerous to keep lying. "They could tell by my scent that something was off."

Poseidon hummed at that. He looked contemplative but didn't say anything as he was clearly thinking about something. Percy tried to maintain eye contact with his dad but it was difficult keeping his attention on one thing. Damn ADHD.

Striding forward, Poseidon reached out and touched Percy's shoulder in a fatherly gesture. He nodded in understanding.

"The council is calling for your presence. Plans have been put in place that are already underway and we cannot alter them now. For your part, there are a few more topics we need to discuss and you need further instructions."

Percy blanched at the prospect of meeting with everyone again. He seriously doubted the others would be as forgiving as his father seemed to be. However, he knew this wasn't a request he could reject either.

Standing up fully, Percy pulled on the clothes closest to him. Dark blue jeans and a sea green t-shirt. He felt antsy to already be going so he nodded to his dad when he was ready.

Poseidon placed his hands on Percy's shoulder again and gave a small smile.

"A message from Aphrodite before we leave. I'm not sure why she would be talking to you but I promised I would relay it. She said 'there are always those standing in the way of what you want. Do what you were born to and you can find your happiness.'"

Percy looked at his dad in confusion. Poseidon just shrugged his shoulders. Clearly, he didn't understand the cryptic message either.

"Come along now" Poseidon said pulling him close, "your uncle and the Council awaits."

(Line Break)

Olympus was as beautiful as always. Unfortunately, Percy didn't get to see that as he was transported directly into the throne room and immediately felt the glares from the council. He let out a few soft chuckles.

"So, I heard I'm a popular guy up here in Olympus lately" he tried to say lightly.

The glares from the gods only intensified. Percy could swear it was almost like that killing intent he always heard about in anime. He could already feel sweat dripping down his back under the scrutiny.

"Perseus Jackson" Zeus growled looking at the demigod. His sky-blue eyes flared up with electricity and Percy could almost taste the ozone in the throne room. "You have directly disobeyed our commands"

Percy gave a bashful grin. "Well, you see Uncle, I didn't actually-"

"SILENCE!" the King of the Gods bellowed. Around the throne room lightning crashed down and booming thunder shook the mountain home of the Gods. Percy was sure the minor gods and nature spirits that were still up in Olympus right now were scurrying back to their homes hoping to avoid the King's wrath.

Percy immediately clamped his mouth shut and looked to his dad. Poseidon had dawned his stoic face once more though when Percy looked into the god's eyes, he thought he saw some semblance of exasperation.

Looking around the throne room he saw similar upset visages on many of the gods. Hera looked down at him in disdain – so much like she usually did. Ares and Dionysus seemed angry at him though on the God of War's face it was more like a sadistic glee kind of angry. Athena glared down at him in all her haughtiness and disapproval. Apollo and Hermes seemed more indifferent though when it concerned those two that usually meant they were upset.

Artemis sent an occasional glare his way but it seemed to be an expression of inconvenience rather than true anger. More like she was just upset she had to deal with his screwup then the situation itself. Even Demeter and Hephaestus looked a bit putout by the situation if their disapproving glances were anything to go by.

The only one who looked even remotely normal was Aphrodite. The goddess in her glorious true form was gazing down at Percy with concern. Not hostile concern like some of the others but in what appeared to be genuine care. She gave him a small smile and a supporting head nod right as Zeus began speaking again.

"You were expressly forbidden from revealing your demigod heritage and now, due to your carelessness, the devils know who you are and your ties to the Gods. You are lucky I haven't struck you down where you stand."

Percy watched as Zeus summoned the Master Bolt to his hand and gripped it tightly. He didn't move it towards Percy but it would only take a second to shift it over and smite him. Poseidon pulled out his Trident and pointed it threateningly towards his brother. He secretly wondered why every time he was up here the gods always seemed on the point to killing one another. Nonetheless he was grateful for his father's intervention.

"We've already discussed this brother" Poseidon said surprisingly calm, "my son would not reveal his heritage. In fact, he confirmed as much to me on the way here."

Zeus turned his stormy eyes towards Poseidon but didn't loosen his grip on his Master Bolt. For a moment it looked like a fight was going to break out. Luckily, the peacemaker of the family spoke out.

"It would seem you all misjudged these devils' brothers" Hestia said. She continued poking the hearth turning over an occasional log. Sparks shot up from the crackling flames before settling back down and giving off a steady supply of heat.

Hestia did not look too concerned when Zeus turned his glare down on his elder sister. Percy didn't know how she could confront the unbridled anger in his eyes but to her credit she continued speaking as if it didn't faze her at all. "You've been saying all along that these devils can be easily manipulated and your son's recent success against the group in California has only bolstered your dismissiveness of them. Now you know that they are much more intelligent than you gave them credit for."

It was silent in the Throne Room as nobody really knew what to say. Sparks of electricity shot off Zeus but he didn't say anything.

It was Athena who broke the silence. "My aunt has spoken truthfully." She said turning to look at Zeus. He looked affronted for a moment at being ganged up on but Athena continued before he could even speak. "Hermes is the only one that has had contact with them recently. We have not spoken with these devils in thousands of years so it should not surprise anyone that they have evolved from the malicious beings we once remember. But this is why we have already put our next course of action into place. Soon enough our plans will come to fruition and we shall see war."

Zeus cooled down slightly at her words and nodded his head. He still sent a glare Percy's way but he did not look as furious as he did in the beginning.

Percy wanted to ask what was going on. Clearly the Olympians had other plans besides him and was that Jason Hestia was speaking of? He couldn't help but wonder if the Gods had already begun attacking the devils in secret. Communication with the camps had been restricted by Iris for some reason and Percy's I-Ms weren't getting through to Nico or the others.

Drawing a deep breath Percy tried to look as calm and laidback as possible. He sent a smile to the council hoping that would put everyone at ease.

It only made their scowls deepen.

"Uncle" he began deferentially. He really didn't want to die today. "The devils are actually really intelligent. I've met many of them now and they are not like the simple monsters we're used to seeing here in the U.S." Ares scoffed at the idea but Zeus shot him a quick frown and he shut up. "We can still avoid this war before things get out of hand."

Aphrodite chimed in immediately after him before anyone else could speak.

"My Lord Zeus" she said bowing her head. Percy had never seen any of the gods act so respectful of another god so it was a bit surprising. "I believe young Percy is right. We do not need this war. We already have everything we need for an alliance with the Christians. Can we truly not give diplomacy a try as we originally intended?"

"My son has been turned into a monster with no hope for reversal." Poseidon said looking around the room. "Sirzechs confirmed as much to me when I asked during a quiet moment during the Rating Game. He is just as much a devil as he is a demigod and will remain so until the end of his days. I am grateful he did not die outright during the transformation but that can only be due to the absence of Chaos in the world. Nonetheless, I must have recompense for this crime."

Percy held his breath as he heard what his father just said. His change was irreversible. He would remain a demigod and devil until he died and even then, he didn't know what would happen. Would he just die like the devils did? Where did Devils even go when they died? Or would he go back to Hades to be tried again. Percy found himself hoping Tiamat's promise of being sealed in the Sacred Gear with her was true when he confronted the prospect of dealing with Hades again.

"And is there honestly no other course of action other than war" Aphrodite demanded. "You will accept no other atonement for the issue other than death and bloodshed? Your son has already stated he is against any and all wars. Would you not heed his own desires when trying to reconcile your own pride Poseidon?"

The demigod saw Poseidon grip his Trident a bit tighter but didn't say anything. Percy felt a brief moment of hope that maybe his dad would agree to something else. He thought he saw something in his eyes, some emotion that he would accept a compromise. But then his jaw stubbornly set and he didn't respond.

Percy felt a moment of regret for his father and this whole situation. But it was clear Poseidon wasn't going to back down now. At least not yet anyway.

"The matter is clear" Athena said staring back at Aphrodite. "The devils have broken the unspoken agreement we've had with them and they must suffer for that. War has been decided and we WILL follow through with it." The goddess turned away from Aphrodite and looked down at Percy. He could feel all the judgment and conviction in her eyes.

"As for you" she said to Percy, "we have already decided on how to proceed. You will obey us completely this time. No exceptions."

"But I didn't-" he tried to defend but she just raised her arm up in a cutting motion.

"It matters not what you did or didn't do. Due to your recklessness the devils have discovered you and by default have entangled us in the situation before we are ready. We've already adjusted plans for your ignorance but now it's time to do your side."

Percy glared back at her not liking where this was headed.

"And what" he said through clenched teeth, "is it that you have planned for me?"

Athena gave him a condescending smile.

"Why we're going to have you perform a little test for us. Don't worry, I think you'll find it quite cathartic."

And as she explained the plan, Percy couldn't help the feeling of butterflies that began dancing in his stomach eager to actually do as they wanted for once.

(Line Break)

Rias stood in front of an ornate mirror looking at her reflection in the glass. Why she had to wear her wedding dress for an engagement party didn't make sense to her but her _beloved_ fiancé demanded it. She ground her teeth in annoyance.

The dress really was quite beautiful if she was being honest. Perhaps a bit gaudier than she would have preferred but definitely stylish and attractive. It was strapless, being held up mostly by the tightness of her chest with a large off-white bow on the back. She had dainty white gloves to match the gown and a golden necklace to provide some color. The only downside were the frills along the border's neckline and arm sleeves. All in all, it was a nice dress but not one Rias would have chosen to wear.

She turned from the mirror unwilling to look at herself anymore instead meeting the eyes of the Phenex maids who assisted her. Rias didn't know any of these women and tried to withhold judgment on them but they only called to mind her situation. Every time she met the eyes of one of them, she was only reminded of her choice to forfeit the game and marry Riser.

Rias could still remember the look on Percy's face when he finally arrived to fight Riser only for the game to end. She did it to save Issei's life and wouldn't hesitate to do so again but still, the fury she saw from the demigod was something to behold. He still hadn't spoken to her even after they had been all healed up.

The crimson haired woman felt painful emotions when she recalled that. She was angry that he had closed himself off to her. Every time she tried to say something she was only met with the smoldering anger in his eyes and silence. He of course even ignored her when she asked him to come to the party and when that didn't work, she demanded his presence at the party like her other servants. If he was going to act that way then she was going to invoke her right as his King.

He still refused.

Not that surprising given their relationship so far. She felt regret ordering him like that too. But when she had asked Akeno to get him to come on her behalf afterwards hoping maybe he would understand and he still refused she felt a lance of pain in her heart.

She needed him today of all days. He was slowly becoming somebody she could rely on and the fact he wasn't here made her heart ache.

Suddenly a loud, piercing bird call rang through the room and Rias saw orange flames appear on the floor. She rolled her eyes knowing who was about to enter her room despite conventional wisdom saying he shouldn't.

"Rias, my love." The arrogant voice of Riser spoke as he entered the room. He ignored some of the protests from the Phenex maids and strode right up to Rias. His eyes glowed in the bright light of the room and Rias saw him undressing her in his mind.

"What do you want Riser?" she asked with as much haughtiness as she could muster.

Phenex merely smiled at her. He brought his hand up and rubbed the back of it up and down her bare arm possessively. "What? Can't a husband check on his beautiful bride?"

Rias scoffed. She might have lost the game and agreed to marry him but she wasn't going to just be some pushover wife either. "I'm not your bride yet Riser. Now, tell me what you're doing here."

Riser smirked at her as if he knew what she was doing. He probably did and the fact he found amusement from it only angered her further.

Bringing his arm up around her shoulder he turned them both back around till they were face to face with the mirror. He pulled her up tight against him and Rias tried to pull away only to be met with fierce resistance.

"Now don't we look like a beautiful couple."

In the mirror Rias stood in her wedding dress right up against Riser's burgundy suit. If she had to wear the stupid gown then the least he could have done was put on a tux or something else fancy. Her crimson hair cascaded over the dress and clashed against his suit while his blonde hair matched the golden accents on her gown.

Beautiful was not a word Rias would have used to describe them. No, she thought mismatched was probably better.

"Riser just wanted to come here to remind his blushing bride-to-be the importance of this engagement party is all. It's important we send a message to the world that our two houses have joined together." He laughed as he pulled away from her.

Rias could hear the mocking tone of it in her ears. He had got what he wanted and was now rubbing it in her face. She was about to unleash a tirade on him when he turned to face her again with that smug smile of his.

"And don't worry my dear. As beautiful as you look in that dress when the day comes when we do get married, you'll be in a much grander and elegant dress. One with orange flames and feathers. One befitting for a bride of Phenex."

Flames appeared at his feet as he finished and Rias heard his triumphant laughter echo in the room as his disappeared. Back to the party most likely.

For a moment, Rias could only stare at the spot on the floor he disappeared from. Anger, hate, sadness, despair. Her emotions were running amuck right now though she knew happiness was definitely not one she was experiencing.

She turned to the nearest maid who was watching her with a blank face. Rias felt a moment of envy that this woman could remain so emotionless after watching what just happened. She would have thought that at least some of these girls could empathize with her situation. Then again, they were all Phenex maids so it was probably common for scenes like that.

"I want you all to leave and send me my Queen." She ordered them. If they were going to be her ladies-in-waiting then she might as well get used to ordering them around now.

"But my lady-" the maid protested only to falter when Rias turned a fierce eye on her. Today was not the day to test Rias' patience.

"I gave you all an order and I expect to be obeyed. Go. Do it now and don't ever question my commands again."

The maid looked frightened of Rias for a moment before looking at the other maids who seemed similarly put off by the order. The woman quickly nodded her head and gathered the others before they walked as fast as decorum allowed to the exit and left. The door slammed shut behind them giving Rias the brief respite she so desperately needed.

Rias felt a bit bad about how that went down but was more relieved they actually listened instead of putting up a fight. Technically speaking, Rias didn't have the right to order around another household's servants even though she was still a noble devil. She assumed her status as betrothed to Riser probably gave her some leeway in that regard. The Crimson haired woman didn't mean to be overly harsh but today was just not a day where she was going to put up with all the arguing.

While Rias was deep in her thoughts, she hadn't heard the door to her room open until she found Akeno standing in front of her with a small smile.

The Japanese woman was wearing a stylish black kimono with a simple white, brocaded obi over her midsection. Her black hair was done in a sleek pony tail with a large orange bow tied into a knot offsetting the dress perfectly. Rias could make out red undergarments under the dress to help keep everything tight and secure.

"Rias?" Akeno spoke informally.

Rias felt such a relief at her Queen's words that she immediately pulled the girl into a hug. Akeno didn't seem surprised at the action instead returning it with just as much fervor as she was receiving. This wasn't a greeting of master and servant but rather one of friends providing support.

Rias wanted to cry over everything; she felt her eyes moisten at what had happened so far. But she held herself back. She was the heiress of Gremory and she would be seen as a strong woman. Not to mention she couldn't afford to let her makeup run. That would only make her eyes puffy and red and draw in too many questions.

"It's almost time" Akeno said sympathetically. Rias stiffened at the words but nodded her head. She knew she couldn't put it off any longer.

Pulling away from Akeno she stood up straight and wiped the creases out of her dress. It was more out of something to do rather than she had actually formed creases.

"Is he here?" Rias asked Akeno. They both knew who she was asking about.

Akeno gave her a sad smile and shook her head.

"I'm sorry Rias." Her Queen apologized.

Rias paused a moment right as they reached the doors. Her heart throbbed in pain. For a whole host of reasons. The second she walked out this door she was acknowledging herself as the bride-to-be to Riser Phenex, third son of the head of the Phenex clan.

Drawing a deep breath, Rias nodded her head at Akeno and her Queen swung open the door leading them out into a short hallway. She could see the bright lights of the party just in front of her and the joyous sounds of people talking and laughing were easily heard at this distance. Every step she took felt more like a walk to the gallows than her own engagement party.

As she emerged from the hallway, she felt rather than saw Akeno drift back further behind her as was expected of the Queen. She was still close by to provide moral support but that didn't stop Rias' heart from beating just a tad bit quicker.

She stood atop a small stage in front of everyone as they all turned to look at her. She wanted to leave the platform but she knew everyone had come to see her and it would be extremely rude to ignore propriety.

Just then Riser appeared next to her and grabbed her hands. He had changed clothes into something more resembling what she thought might be a white tux though it still left pretty much his entire chest bare. Rias felt a moment of anger surge through her and was tempted to rip her hand from his grasp but quickly schooled herself. Such an action now would have major consequences for both houses. None of which would be pleasant.

"Greeting esteemed guests and renowned devils of the Underworld. On behalf of House Phenex, Riser welcomes each and every one of you for attending this engagement party. This is a great moment in the history of the Underworld where two great dynasties will be united forever. Lord Riser" he said pointing to himself "of the distinguished House Phenex will marry his beloved bride, Lady Rias of the illustrious House Gremory."

Rias had to give some credit to Riser. He might have been a smug, arrogant asshole but he did have a way with words. She could practically watch as the crowd grew more excited at his words and agreed with his sentiments. Why the others didn't find his use of the Third Person when referring to himself annoying she didn't really understand either.

Riser gave her hand a hard squeeze when the silence in the hall got a little too long. This was where she was supposed to speak.

"I want to thank everyone who came here today." She began diplomatically. "It means a lot to me to know who cares about me and who I can rely on." There was a hint of bitterness at that last part. She thought she saw her mother flinch at the unspoken accusation but her words weren't just meant for her family. A certain servant who should be here but wasn't primarily had her target.

"I want to assure everyone that-"

Suddenly the door to the back of the party blasted open revealing a distant figure striding forward. The doors had been blown off their hinges and dust swirled all around in a haze of dirty mist.

"What is the meaning of this?!" roared Riser as he stepped off the platform. He gripped his hand tightly in a fist as he glared down at the mysterious figure.

"Sorry. Sorry. I meant to crash the party, not the doors" the voice said sarcastically.

Rias knew that voice and her heart fluttered uncontrollably. He had come after all.

When the dust finally settled, there Percy stood in a nice white tuxedo with a deep blue button down. It just so happened to be the exact same shade as her own eyes. Behind him lay the bodies of a few devils clearly having been beaten up.

"Oooh, Percy! Percy! Over here!" the voice of Ravel Phenex said excitedly as she waved her hands towards the demigod. Rias felt a flash of satisfaction when Percy strode right by the girl without even looking at her.

"You!" Riser said angrily.

"Me!" Percy said cheekily. He sent a smirk Riser's way and Rias saw the devil shoot out some flames from his enclosed fist.

"Don't worry hothead, it's not good to see you too. I just heard there was a party going on and thought I'd come and sample the hor d'oeuvres. I have to say, not so impressed with what I've seen."

It seemed Rias wasn't the only one who couldn't believe her eyes or ears as Percy spoke. He just came into a party, crashed it really, and then insulted the host like it was nothing. She wanted to laugh at the ridiculous face Riser was making but couldn't quite bring herself to worsen relations between their families further.

Rias was definitely surprised at the audacity Percy was showing. It almost didn't seem like the Pawn she had resurrected and grown to know and understand these past few weeks.

As Percy sampled a pig in a blanket, Rias saw some distant figures in the background begin to make their way forward. She didn't recognize any of them but there were twelve in total. One of them did look distinctly familiar though.

"Ahhh, Lord Poseidon. It's good to see you again" the voice of her brother suddenly said stepping to the forefront. Sirzechs strode forward to greet the new guests as did her mother and father.

Poseidon looked like an older version of Percy right down to his eyes and hair. Perhaps a bit broader shouldered than her Pawn and maybe an inch or two taller but Rias was confident that this is exactly what Percy would look like in twenty to thirty years.

She found her mouth dry as she looked out over the twelve figures. If Percy's father was in the front than that didn't leave many guesses as to who the other eleven probably were. She gulped nervously remembering Percy said that they were furious with her for bringing him back to life.

Next to her she found Akeno come up and stand by her side watching the scene curiously. In the crowd she saw Kiba and Koneko shuffle quietly towards the front in obvious position to defend her if necessary. They had no idea about any of this Greek stuff or even that Percy was the son of Poseidon but it was clear they saw her uncomfortableness.

The God of the Sea pulled out an invitation to the party and held it up for all to see. "I received the invitation Lord Lucifer. It didn't specify the number of guests I could bring so I hope you don't mind I invited the rest of the council. After everything Perseus has told me I thought we should come see for ourselves."

Rias saw Percy flinch slightly at the use of his full name but he quickly recovered and put on his carefree troublemaker attitude. He ate a few more appetizers before grimacing at the bacon wrapped scallops and turned away. She guessed he wasn't a big fan of eating seafood.

"Of course, My Lord" Venelana said stepping up to them. She gave a warm smile and turned her attentions towards the man next to Poseidon. He was dressed in a simple grey suit that showed off his defined muscles and his long beard had hints of grey giving it a distinguished look. "Lord Zeus" her mother addressed, "welcome to the party and the Underworld. I'm very glad you could join us for such a special occasion."

Zeus took a step forward with a large smile on his face and bent down to bring Venelana's hand in a simple kiss. He seemed so happy and genuine that Rias almost couldn't believe this was the same guy who had tried to kill her Pawn multiple times.

"Lady Gremory" he said in a loud voice, "we are so honored to be here. Thank you for having us." Rias watched as her mother shot the god another smile before turning her attention to the woman on his left.

This woman stood tall with a simple smile gracing her face. She wore a golden dress in the traditional Greek style – a peplos she thought it was called – and had a cape of peacock feathers that extended from her shoulders. Oddly enough, the cape contained enough yellows and golds in the feathers that it didn't clash with the dress.

"Yes, Lady Venelana" the woman said in a motherly voice, "I can't thank you enough for being so gracious as to accommodate us on such an important day. We have brought a small gift for the bride in honor of her impending nuptials."

The woman waved an arm forward and Rias saw another woman, easily the most beautiful she had ever seen, step forth carrying a small box in her hands. Her long blonde hair shifted when Rias looked at her to a lighter shade of red than her own and when she made eye contact, she saw the woman's eyes shift from the deepest of blues to the darkest of greens before settling on the bright purple of her own mother's eyes.

Rias hadn't ever admitted it before but she always found her mother's eyes to be the most beautiful she had ever seen. When she was younger, she always longed for her own eyes to change to be the vibrant purple.

To see her mother's perfect eyes on this woman infuriated Rias and made her resentful of her beauty. She tried to mask her face and succeeded in doing so but the woman gave her an amused smile as a tinkling laugh escaped her throat.

The woman stepped up to Rias completely ignoring a leering Riser and handed over the small gift. Rias was tempted to throw the gift away when she saw the smile the woman gave her but somehow resisted the urge and instead smiled back in gratitude.

"Thank you" Rias said hoping her voice didn't sound as harsh as it did in her mind. It was only two small words so she thought she might have gotten away with it.

The woman laughed that tinkling laugh again. "Think nothing of it my dear. I have to say that I have been eager to meet you for a while now. It seems the rumors of your beauty have not done you justice."

Rias eyed the woman warily at that. "You have?" she asked hesitantly.

The woman nodded pleasantly while behind her Rias' parents and brother continued the introduction with the rest of the Olympians.

"Indeed" the woman said, "ever since Percy has dreamt of your appearance, I have wanted to see the woman who has captured his attentions. Of course, there was much more to it than that but it isn't hard to see what has captivated my young demigod." She ran her hands up the dress Rias was wearing and grimaced slightly. Rias felt bad suddenly that this woman didn't like her dress for some reason.

"Not the dress I would have chosen for you" the woman said critiquing the ensemble. "It is beautiful but it doesn't bring out your eyes or your hair, both of which should stand out on a woman of your beauty. No, definitely not what you should be wearing. Perhaps another day…" she trailed off in thought as she fiddled around with Rias' dress some more.

Rias shuffled a moment under the scrutiny but didn't have the heart to correct this woman. She agreed with her assessment but the next time Rias was wearing a wedding gown would be her marriage to Riser and she didn't think she was going to have much say in what she was wearing then either.

As the woman finished up, she turned her attention towards Akeno who seemed confused to suddenly but under such attention. The woman didn't even hesitate as she started fiddling with the Kimono and ran her fingers over the bodice of the gown causing Akeno to stiffen slightly.

"Oh, don't worry about it" the woman said calmly, "you know you like the attention." Rias thought she saw the woman give a gentle squeeze to Akeno's breast and she heard her Queen's breath gasp out. The woman paid it no mind as she quickly moved her hands over the rest of Akeno's body as well.

"Yes, a very good choice of gown" the woman said approvingly. "You need a little more makeup on your eyes and cheeks of course but you selected a beautiful dress. And the hair bow was a lovely addition. Perhaps I can find a necklace for you to wear next time. I know just the right one made of pearls. Something tells me you'd be a fan of a pearl necklace wouldn't you Akeno?" The woman said teasingly. It honestly reminded Rias of how Akeno liked to tease Percy.

Akeno's face reddened in embarrassment though Rias didn't hear her contradict the woman. The King could hear her Queen become short of breath and she saw some slight perspiration on her forehead.

Just as Rias was about to intervene though the woman backed away and stood in front of both women once again. Her smile seemed to regain the innocent quality it had before and she laughed another tinkling laugh. Rias regained her composure just thinking about how annoying the laugh was becoming.

Stepping close to the girls the woman grabbed them by the shoulders and pulled them close to her face. Gone was the happy-go-lucky party goer who complimented them. Before them now stood a serious woman, whose eyes had a hard glint to them. Rias tried to step back but the force of the other woman's grip on her was surprisingly strong.

"Listen to me, both of you" the woman said quietly. Rias had to strain really hard to hear the woman and she was only a few inches from her mouth. Anyone trying to listen in to the conversation was going to have to be practically on top of them. "Something is about to go down that you have no control over. You will not like it but you must not interfere. Too many pieces are moving about right now and the balance is too delicate. One wrong move and the whole situation could come undone."

Rias stared at the woman trying to comprehend her words. They didn't make any sense. "What-"

The woman cut her off. "No time for that. Just know that things are in motion that will play an important role in the future. Trust yourself but more importantly trust your Pawn. He has a difficult choice to make in the next few minutes that will probably be upsetting. Just know that he is far more loyal than you think. He will keep his promise to you."

Rias' mind kicked into overdrive trying to process the woman's words. Trust her Pawn? Of course, she trusted both Issei and Percy. The Crimson Heiress assumed she was referring to Percy specifically though. And what was all that about the future? What decision would he have to make? It just didn't make any sense right now.

"Of course, I trust Percy" Rias said adamantly. And she meant it. The woman must have believed her too because as she pulled away, she changed her serious face to a smile once more.

"That's good to hear Rias" she said. The woman took a step back to join the others before she stopped to say one final piece.

"Oh, and Rias, Akeno" both girls looked at her in anticipation. "He cares for you both a great deal though he's too wrapped up in his head to do anything about it. You'll have to be the ones to initiate his affection. And remember, nothing is more thrilling than a steamy affair."

Rias looked at the woman. "Who are you?" she wondered aloud. There were only so many options it could have been and Rias had a strong suspicion as to who she was but it was better to hear it straight from her own mouth.

The woman gave her a pleased grin and fluttered her hair back and forth a few times in a perfect waterfall of red curls. It was like she was hoping they would ask her the question. "Who me? Why I'm the Goddess of Love my dear."

With that they watched Aphrodite return to her place with the other Olympians and stand between the ugliest man either of them had ever seen and a guy with cuts and scars on his face who was wearing a leather jacket over a tuxedo. She gave a small smile to the ugly man who seemed pleased by the attention but Rias and Akeno could see the scarred man slide his hand over and give her ass a little squeeze causing her to blush.

"An affair" Akeno said quietly to herself. Rias didn't understand any of that herself though she supposed the woman, goddess Rias figured she was, was implying that she should cheat on Riser. That would go down very poorly in the Underworld by everyone though such things did obviously happen.

A loud commotion suddenly drew both Rias' and Akeno's attention to the side where Percy stood face to face with a furious Riser.

"Just who do you think you are lowborn scum?" Riser said scathingly. Rias found herself moving forward to intervene when a quick headshake from Aphrodite captured her attention. She remembered the goddess' words to not prevent anything that was about to happen though it was difficult to fight her instincts.

Percy glared right back at Riser with a sneer of his own. It looked pretty ugly on him and she hoped never to see such a look on her Pawn's face again.

"It seems those flames don't regenerate brain cells huh? We already met at the Gremory mansion and during the Rating Game but hey, maybe Alzheimer's runs in the family. You are pretty old after all." He taunted Riser.

Rias could see the white-hot flames in Riser's eyes and she thought the room might have gotten a few degrees warmer. Riser's hands clasped and unclasped into fists looking like they wanted to pummel Percy though her Pawn didn't seem too concerned.

"How dare-"

"Yes, yes, I dare. Didn't we already have this conversation?" Percy cut him off. "Just goes right back to those loss of brain cells I guess."

Riser growled at Percy and brought a fist up ready to strike. His hand was covered in flames and as he swung Rias could see the fire streaking behind his blow in an arc of burning fury.

"Percy!" Rias shouted unable to restrain herself anymore. Aphrodite shot a sympathetic look towards Rias but she didn't care for the goddess' feelings right then. The only thing she cared about was protecting her Pawn.

A loud ringing noise rang out as a blast of fire shot out in multiple directions. Many of the devils backed away from the resulting explosion clearly thinking that her Pawn had just been crushed under the resulting blast. Poseidon brought up a barrier of water in front of the gods that protected them from the exploding flames.

Rias didn't care about any of that though. She ran forward unafraid of the blinding fire in an effort to stop her fiancé from beating her other Pawn too.

Of course, when the explosion calmed down nothing was as it seemed.

Her Pawn stood looking right back at Riser with his arm in his dragon armor squeezing Phenex's hand in a crushing grip. The Third Son of Lord Phenex glared back at Percy in obvious pain though he managed to not cry out under the unrelenting force.

"I told you I was going to kick your ass Bird Brain." Percy squeezed his arm a little harder and twisted it causing Riser's wrist to make an awful snapping noise. Riser's eyes bulged wide and Rias saw a few tears form though he continued to not cry out.

Percy brought his foot up and kicked Riser right in the chest while releasing his wrist. The Phenex devil flew backwards a few feet and crashed into a table knocking aside food and breaking it in half. A bowl of chocolate pudding collided with his bare chest covering him in the confectionary concoction and ruining his suit.

"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!" Riser roared standing up and covering himself in fire. Rias saw as the food on his clothes burned to a crisp and fell off leaving him sparkling clean.

"Now, now, let's do this the right way" the laidback voice of her brother said drawing everyone's attention. Rias looked back and forth between Percy and Sirzechs wanting answers but more importantly wanting to make sure her servant was alright. Percy gave her a small grin but otherwise didn't make any other moves.

Riser turned his furious glare on her brother though he seemed to have cooled down somewhat in the Great Devil's presence.

"Sirzechs! What is the meaning of this?!" he asked heatedly. It was clear he was not pleased with the way their engagement party was going.

Her older brother just smiled at Riser before turning it on Percy and then back on the Phenex devil. Her Pawn didn't look uncomfortable by the look though he made sure he always kept at least one eye on Riser.

"You see Riser" Sirzechs said calmly, "I was very disappointed with the Rating Game the other day. And I was not the only one. It seems the talk of the Underworld was how you barely managed to scrape by against a first-time player and had to result to threatening to kill her pieces to win. My sister lacks your gaming experience and yet against your considerably larger forces she nearly had you beat."

Rias couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her brother and family had been impressed with her game against Riser? Nobody had mentioned anything to her after it was over which she was slightly upset about it. And now to hear that they enjoyed her play despite the loss… It was a bit overwhelming.

"All that matters is that I won my Lord" Riser said through clenched teeth. "We had an agreement and I have fulfilled my side of the deal."

Sirzechs hummed though he seemed displeased with Riser's words.

"Perhaps once Riser" he said "but the games don't mean quite what they used to. The bottom-line is that you were almost defeated by a first-time competitor. I can't imagine your family was proud of your performance."

Rias saw Riser flinch at the barb and knew it to be true. Her brother probably did as well which is why she realized he said it in the first place.

"I think you need another chance to prove yourself" Sirzechs finished saying.

Around the room Rias heard devils gasp and whisper in shock at the turn things just took. Now, Riser had just been called out in front of everyone and practically told he had to fight by a Great Devil himself. He had no choice to but concede to the suggestion.

"Of course, My Lord" he said clearly angry at having been put into this position.

Sirzechs smiled at them all. "Excellent! It seems we already found a challenger for you. You there, Perseus Jackson" Rias saw him sigh at his full name again, "it seems you are eager for a fight against Riser here. I've heard the rumors of your exploits and fights and we saw firsthand the power of Zenith Tempest during the game. Will you accept the challenge?"

Percy smirked and nodded his head. He seemed very pleased with the turn of events. Rias, other the other hand, wasn't quite so optimistic. Percy was powerful but Riser was immortal. A fight between them would not be in her Pawn's favor.

"Fantastic" Sirzechs said. "A fight between pantheons. Demigod versus Devil. Dragon versus Phoenix. Greek versus Christian. Yes, this is exactly the kind of entertainment this party could use."

Realizing the situation at hand Riser smiled his arrogant smile. He had seen some of Percy's abilities during the Rating Game so no doubt he thought he could counteract it. Either that or he was so sure his healing abilities would protect him to the point Percy got too tired to fight. It was a very real possibility.

"A wonderful idea My Lord. I'd be more than happy to oblige you and entertain our guests" Riser said pleased at the prospect now. Rias had a sneaking suspicion that this fight was going to be much, much more than a simple spar too.

Percy grinned back. His hand had released its dragon armor now so it was bare but he had pulled out his pen and was twirling back and forth between his fingers.

"What about you Percy?" Sirzechs asked him.

The smile faltered from Percy's face only for a questioning frown to replace it. His hands stopped twiddling Riptide as he looked as her brother.

"Huh?" he asked stupidly. Rias saw Riser and a few of the other devils laugh at his response which only caused him to flush. Probably in some anger but also embarrassment if Rias knew him as well as she thought she did.

Although, given everything that's happened the past week and a half, it was more than likely there was too much about him that she didn't know.

Fortunately for Percy, Sirzechs only gave him a warm smile. There was no mocking or condescension from her brother. Rias felt extremely glad at that moment for her brother's attitude and demeanor.

"I think we all got a nice glimpse of your power during the Rating Game but sadly we were all denied the epic showdown between you and Riser we were waiting for. Would you be willing to showcase your power for us?"

Rias saw Percy tense up a moment before he nodded. The Heiress of Gremory knew it wasn't exactly in Percy's nature to just go fighting to prove who was the strongest as he had admitted to her during their training. He especially hated fighting for the entertainment of others. Something he seemed to have done a few times in his past though he didn't elaborate when she asked him.

But he would always seek to get stronger to help his friends and family and was willing to do what was necessary to protect them. The fact that he was doing this now clearly meant the Goddess of Love's words had to be the truth or at least held some truth to them. Percy did care for her otherwise he wouldn't be here now.

"You're offering me a chance to dowse Flamebrain's fire? I can't pass that up."

Sirzechs chuckled lightly at that but nodded all the same. Conversely, Riser scowled in fury.

"Tell me Percy, what would you like as your reward if you win?" her brother asked to the surprise of everyone present. Well almost everyone. The Greek Gods seemed to think this was expected although that was very much not the case. Percy himself seemed caught off guard as did both Rias and Riser.

It was pretty obvious what Riser's reward would be if he won. Rias again and this time without anyone or anything to contest it. Frankly, Rias was amazed as it was that her brother had made another exception anyway.

The question was what would Percy want?

Rias felt her heart beat faster in her chest when she made eye contact with him. His eyes had bulged out in shock and he kept licking his lips as if he was trying to speak. Rias felt like she had to be looking in a mirror as her own mouth was too dry to speak either.

"I… I…" he tried to say only to grimace about something. His eyes met Rias' and she saw how much he cared for her in them. This was his chance. Hers too if she was being honest with herself. She couldn't lie to herself and say she didn't feel anything for her Pawn. She wouldn't have offered herself to him in the first place if she didn't feel such a strong connection to him.

If he asked for her as a reward and won then nobody would be able to contest the results. She would be his officially forever and there wasn't a single thing anyone could say about it. Rias would gladly become his wife and no matter what their families thought, his particularly, they would be together.

It was when Poseidon stepped up behind Percy and gave his shoulder a tight squeeze that Rias felt her heart stop. Percy was looking at her trying to convey something but she just couldn't read his mind. Something important was about to happen. He turned his head away in shame before looking at her brother and asking for something nobody could have foreseen.

"Anything my Lord?" Percy asked Sirzechs. Her brother nodded in acknowledgement. "Then I ask to be made a King."

Silence reigned in the large room as everyone comprehended his words. Percy tried to look sure of himself but Rias could see the hesitation and apology in his eyes for Rias. She couldn't help but wonder if all his talk about saving her and stopping Riser was just typical male bluster.

The all but guaranteed bride-to-be turned her head not wanting to look at her Pawn at the moment. She felt heartbroken that despite everything he said he had chosen power over love. Or at least strong caring if he didn't want to admit it. Aphrodite practically confirmed it to her though so Rias took it to be love.

As she turned away, she saw said goddess looking at her with sympathy. No doubt the Goddess of Love could feel how betrayed she felt at the moment. Meeting her eyes, Rias saw her mouthing something.

 _Trust_ the goddess kept forming over and over again.

Trust. The Goddess' words from before came back to her now that she wasn't thinking as emotionally. She said Percy was going to have to make a difficult decision in the next few minutes and it would upset her. Well definitely check the box on that front. More importantly though, she said that Rias should trust Percy's judgment.

Percy hadn't ever given her any reason to doubt him before. Even when he was hiding his demigod secret, he hadn't done anything to put her or the rest of the peerage in active danger. There was no reason to doubt him now.

Firming her resolve she gave Aphrodite a curt nod before turning back towards Percy. The demigod met her eyes briefly and she gave him an understanding smile hoping he knew she wasn't too upset with him. She still was of course but he didn't need to know that right now. No, right now he needed to be focused on Riser. Rias saw the tension disappear from his shoulders before he looked relaxed.

In her moment of contemplation, she hadn't noticed that many of the devils nearby had become vocal against Percy's reward. Not that she really blamed them either. It was unprecedented to go from a low-class devil to high-class devil almost immediately upon rebirth.

Sirzechs however seemed completely at ease with the request and merely raised his hand to cut off all talking. The others shut up before his hand even reached its full height.

"Normally I would not allow this request. The rank of King must be earned over time by those born anew into our world. However, I have asked around about you Perseus Jackson. Word has reached me about your military exploits in your conquest of Kronos and Gaia. Given your status as a Bastard Prince of the Sea Kingdom of your father and your military career I will allow this reward. Should you defeat Lord Phenex you will be granted the rank of King."

Nobody said anything further clearly processing her brother's words. Even Rias seemed surprised by her brother's acquiescence. Being a sea prince didn't really surprise her as she already knew Poseidon was a King. It made sense for Percy to be a Prince even if he wasn't a legitimate one. But the fact Percy had fought in wars? He had never mentioned anything about that to her before. Looking at him now he seemed slightly embarrassed at the attention he was receiving though only those who knew him well would be able to tell.

The Greek Gods all nodded their heads as if this was only the right decision. Maybe they did come here expecting her brother to offer Percy a reward if he defeated Riser. It certainly would explain his decision to become a King a bit more.

Seeing as nobody had anything else to add, Sirzechs clapped his hands together loudly gathering everyone's attention again.

"I think it's time to get this fight started yes?"

The next thing Rias knew there was a giant magic circle under her feet taking them to an arena to watch her Pawn duel her Fiancé.

(Line Break)

Rias found herself standing on top of a giant castle looking out over a coliseum style arena. It was broken down and worn away from time but the seating was obviously in the ancient Roman style. The arena was in a giant circle with large pillars evenly spaced between each other designed as chess pieces. Neither Percy nor Riser had entered the arena yet but it seemed pretty obvious that Percy's starting point was in front of the Pawn piece while opposite him was the King piece and where Riser would stand.

"President?" the voice of Kiba said behind her causing her to jump slightly. She hadn't expected her other pieces to join her here but was grateful her brother brought them nonetheless.

Turning around she saw them look up at her curiously. This really wasn't the time for this discussion but she did owe them some answers after what just went down.

"Yes Kiba" she said calmly. Koneko raised an eyebrow at her and Akeno gave her a look of understanding but Kiba seemed more confused then either of them which she didn't expect. Then again, of all her peerage he was one of the newer additions having joined after Akeno and Koneko and Gasper.

"What exactly just happened back there?" he asked simply. She knew what he really wanted to know though. It just wasn't his style to come right out and demand answers like that however.

Rias heaved a sigh before she shot them all a small smile. She hoped they forgave her from keeping this from them.

"Well, as you might have heard, Percy is actually part demigod. A son of Poseidon to be specific. The people standing behind him at the party were the Olympian Gods though I've only ever talked with Aphrodite and that was just a few minutes ago."

Koneko pulled out some appetizers she must have snagged from the party and began eating some bruschetta nodding her head in understanding. Kiba too nodded though it was clear he expected more.

"I didn't know about Percy being a demigod till just before we went on training in the mountains. He had asked me to keep it a secret up till that point so as not to be a distraction and I agreed. We were going to tell you all after the Rating Game though that obviously was put on hold the past few days." She added hoping that might suffice.

Her Knight looked at her a moment but eventually smiled his bright white smile. Akeno stood to her side and gave her arm a small squeeze and Koneko continued eating her food. She didn't think this was fully the end of the conversation but at least for the moment they seemed pacified.

A loud booming laugh rang out to the right of her and Rias lifted her head to see Zeus laughing uproariously with her brother and father while the scarred God and a chubby looking God laughed with them. The scarred one, Ares she might have guessed, kept looking towards the arena clearly in anticipation for the fight while the chubby one kept eyeing the alcohol in her brother and father's hands enviously. They weren't the only ones talking either as all of the other Gods mingled with other devils too.

She saw that ugly man trying to chat up her mother to which Venelana seemed politely interested. An auburn-haired girl kept glaring at any and all men who came within five feet of her instead surrounding herself in the company of female devils. To her side was a black-haired woman with fierce grey eyes who kept taking notes of everything one of the devils said before following up with another question.

Rias also saw two of the other gods standing in a group of female devils all while trying to work their wiles on them. They looked snazzy enough in their ornate Chitons and many of the ladies laughed at their jokes. Rias doubted the gods had any chance with them though. To her it looked like the ladies enjoyed leading them on more than actually performing whatever it might be they were promising.

The Queen of the Gods stood overlooking the arena while engaging in conversation with Grayfia. Her brother's wife seemed pleasant enough to answer any question the Goddess had but it was clear neither of them had much in common. Another Goddess, one carrying a bowl of cereal oddly enough, joined their conversation and Rias swore she saw Hera's eyebrows twitch in anger for a moment. Koneko seemed to want to make her way over to get a bowl herself but decided against it after a moment.

"I know that was difficult" that same tinkling voice said from behind her.

Turning around Rias came face to face with Aphrodite again. The Goddess was still as beautiful as ever and even Kiba seemed entranced by her presence. She laughed politely at Kiba's obvious attention before she pulled out a pair of glasses and slide them over her eyes and gave him a smile. Rias thought she recognized Tsubaki for a moment but she couldn't be sure. Kiba obviously knew who she was supposed to be though and his face lit up like a Christmas tree.

"You said Percy would have a difficult decision before him. Was that it?" she asked hoping for more answers. She didn't think they would have much time to talk as it seemed many of the male devils wanted to have a conversation with the Goddess of Love

Aphrodite hummed in agreement. "It is but one of many. I know how upset you were, however I urge you to reconsider your anger. Percy has led a difficult life as it is and his choices now hold much sway over the future. A wrong decision could have disastrous consequences."

Rias processed that and stored it in the back of her mind for further thought later. She had to trust Percy made the right choice right now though she would be having another discussion with him about his decisions.

"A difficult life My Lady?" Kiba spoke up surprising Rias. The Goddess however smiled and nodded at him.

"Indeed. Percy was born a child of prophecy. And not simple prophecies mind you. Great Prophecies that could and did have a major impact on the world. He is a great hero to many and admired by almost everyone in the Greek pantheon. There isn't a god or nature spirit or monster that doesn't know his name by now."

There seemed to be something more to what she was saying but Rias couldn't pick up on it. It was like the Goddess was trying to relay a message but it was encoded and she didn't have the cipher.

"Is that what the military exploits Lord Lucifer talked about were?" Kiba asked not picking up on the hidden message. Akeno and Koneko didn't seem to either.

Aphrodite nodded bringing her glass of champagne to her lips and taking a small sip. She licked her red lips suggestively though it seemed more out of habit than actual seduction.

"Percy's status as a Son of Poseidon makes it so he is basically a leader to other demigods. Whether he wanted to be or not it was thrust upon him. That combined with his status as a demigod of the Great Prophecies left him little choice in his life. The wars against Kronos and Gaia were not pleasant. Many of our children died in the fighting."

The Goddess paused a moment as if remembering some of her own children that fought and died. Rias saw a lone tear streak down her face but it miraculously didn't screw up her makeup leaving the Goddess as beautiful as she was before.

"Percy" she continued, "challenged both Titan and Primordial singlehandedly and managed to emerge victorious. He has changed much due to his experiences but deep down he's still the humble hero who wants to save his friends and family. Remember that Rias. It's important to understanding who Percy is."

What else could Rias do other than nod in agreement. Aphrodite didn't look like a threatening being but she still had outlived Rias by millennia. The devil didn't think the goddess would make bold statements like that if it wasn't important somehow.

Then Aphrodite turned to look at both Akeno and Koneko taking them in before smiling. "Sometimes this world is a cruel place" the goddess said, "but beauty can be found in even the unlikeliest of places. Love is much the same way. I think you both will find an empathetic ear when it comes to my hero. After all, he is a hybrid demigod devil."

Akeno and Koneko both stiffened at that but didn't say anything. It didn't seem Aphrodite expected them to. Rias could guess what that was about but didn't think it worth drawing attention to. The goddess picked up on that and grabbed Rias' arm pulling her towards the castle side.

"It's almost time now." Aphrodite said looking down below. Rias peered over as well and they could see Riser on the far side looking fired up and ready to go. Immediately under them, Rias saw Percy in a bubble of water having a discussion with his father. He seemed hesitant about something but quickly nodded his head when he seemed to have some kind of eureka moment. Suddenly, her Pawn turned to glare back at Phenex.

Rias watched as Riptide elongated into pen form in his hand. Poseidon thrust a bag of something in his son's free hand before he dropped the water shield and disappeared in a breeze of mist to land on the castle looking down with the rest of them.

She figured now would be the best time to get this conversation over with though she could admit she felt some fear. By Percy's estimates his father was actually a pretty cool god though Rias had read some of the stories that said otherwise. She didn't know which she was likely to receive.

"Lord Poseidon" Rias said stepping up next to him. Behind her stood the rest of her peerage while to her left stood Aphrodite looking on with an impassive face. It seemed odd on such an expressive woman though in fairness Rias couldn't say she really knew Aphrodite all that well.

It seemed for a moment that Poseidon wasn't going to answer when at last he turned and glanced down at her with such a stoic face. His eyes swirled of the seas much like Percy's did though when Rias looked into her Pawns eyes, she often felt comforted in their warm gaze.

There was no such warmth here.

"Rias Gremory" the god said monotone. She figured he was trying to be polite considering her brother and parents were just on the other side of them looking down at the arena waiting for the match to begin.

Rias gulped hoping she wasn't making a mistake.

"I just wanted to say My Lord that your son is an exceptional individual and I consider myself very lucky to have him as a member of my peerage."

Poseidon's eyes raged with a mini hurricane though his face never seemed to move an inch. It was quite impressive really though Rias didn't think he'd appreciate the compliment.

"My son" he said softly. "Yes, _my_ son is indeed an exceptional individual. A hero. A savior. To say you are lucky to have him as your… _Pawn_ " Poseidon spat out the word as if it was trash, "I think that is vastly underselling your fortunes Lady Gremory. You are not worthy of my son." He said harshly.

Rias felt like she was just punched in the stomach. Ok, she figured that Poseidon wasn't going to be thrilled with her but he made it sound as if she was the lowest form of scum to ever walk the Earth.

Before she could even say anything though Poseidon turned away. "If you'll excuse me now Lady Gremory. I came here to watch my son fight. Unlike other people whom I won't name he actually knows what his duties are to his family."

Another gut-wrenching punch. He clearly said that aiming to insult Rias. The worst part was she couldn't exactly dispute it either.

"That was a bit harsher than I thought he might be. Then again it's understandable I suppose" Aphrodite added on as if what just happened was no big deal. She pulled out a mirror and some lipstick and began reapplying some to her lips though there didn't seem to be any problems as far as Rias could see.

Rias eyed the goddess incredulously.

"What?" she asked Rias innocently. "You resurrected his son – against his will mind you – and denied him from going to not just Elysium but the Isle of the Blest. Literally the home of the greatest heroes who have ever walked this Earth. A place that puts Heaven to shame or so Hades claims. Not to mention that you turned him into a Devil to do it. Can you really blame him for being so upset at you?"

When put that way it did seem kind of harsh to Rias ears. To be denied the greatest of paradises would upset any individual. Rias supposed Percy's initial dislike of her and the others was probably warranted now that she thought about it.

"I suppose he can enjoy knowing that at least I'll have to perform my own duties to my family soon enough anyway." Rias said glumly knowing there wasn't much for it. She trusted Percy but he had his opportunity to claim her as his woman and passed on it. Now, whatever the outcome of this fight she was to be Riser's wife.

Aphrodite laughed softly as she continued reapplying her makeup causing Rias to scowl at the goddess. The Heiress felt the presence of her peerage behind her as they stepped a bit closer but didn't make any move to leave the top of the castle. The least she could do was watch whether her Pawn would become a King or not.

"I told you to have more faith in Percy than that. You said you trust him so trust him. You'll be rid of the Phenex fellow soon enough." The goddess said politely.

Rias couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at that.

"I do trust Percy but I don't see any way out of this. He had his chance to ask for me as a reward but he turned it down. I will be Riser's bride regardless of the outcome."

Aphrodite shook her head still smiling as if Rias just didn't understand.

"All Percy has to do now is what he was born to do."

"And what exactly was he born to do?" Rias couldn't help but ask.

Aphrodite pointed down over the arena as Percy and Riser stood facing off against one another. "He's still a demigod Rias. Come, let's watch as Percy rids the world of another monster."

Rias couldn't help her face blanch at the prospect of what Aphrodite was implying.

Down below two powerhouses collided together and the fight began in earnest.

(Line Break)

Percy stood on the dirt ground looking at Riser across from him. The bastard had a smug smile as if he knew Percy was no real threat to him. The demigod thought the broken wrist at the party would have disabused him of that but it didn't appear to be the case. He was dressed in some odd armor that only covered his arms leaving his entire torso bare.

In Percy's right hand he held the elongated form of Anaklusmos. Riptide glowed its pale bronze afterglow that reflected in the shadows of the arena walls behind him. He could practically hear it thrumming with power wanting to be used at last. If the sword was sentient Percy had no doubts it would be glad to finally see some action again.

In his left-hand he held the white bag his father had given him just before he left.

 _A gift from me to you. I think it is time to see those fins in action huh? Show this arrogant bastard why nobody should never underestimate the seas._

His father's words resonated with him. Too many people had underestimated Percy and the power of the seas. First, Zeus and the gods simply because he was a demigod. A respected one to be sure but a demigod nonetheless. Other demigods had as well, his ex-girlfriend came to mind along with the Romans, though eventually the saw his power and his worth.

Rias too had underestimated him to an extent. He knew it wasn't out of jealousy or some fear of power like the others but just a matter of ignorance. She had held him back in the Rating Game and he thought not being able to use his sword played a major role in not getting to them quick enough. It wasn't entirely her fault but that didn't mean she hadn't underestimated him either.

And of course, now there was the biggest douchebag of all, Riser Phenex. Much like Kronos and Gaia after him, Riser thought he was immortal. He was undefeatable.

Percy looked forward to seeing the look on his face when he found out just how invincible he really was.

A loud voice came out of the sky giving direction to both participants. Grayfia again.

"It's time to get started. If both fighters are prepared?" she asked. Percy shot her a thumbs up with his bagged hand while Riser just scoffed and made a weak hand waving motion to indicate he was ready ten minutes ago. The son of the seas felt himself growl at the nonchalance in his attitude.

"Very well. There are no restrictions in this fight. Verbal concessions will be acknowledged as forfeiture as will incapacitation."

Percy felt the weight of those words fall over him as he remembered his orders from the council.

 _You are going to test a theory for us._ Athena told him. _Some forces have already defeated devils but we want to see for ourselves. When you challenge Riser, you will use Anaklusmos to kill him. We need to confirm whether Celestial Bronze is as effective as we believe._

He had told them it was. He _had_ killed a Fallen Angel with his sword. They didn't care though. Seeing is believing, blah, blah, blah. Ares just looked eager to see bloodshed.

Worst was that wasn't all either. Although he had already satisfied the conditions of his first orders.

 _Sirzechs has implied that you will receive a reward should you win your challenge. You will demand independency from the Gremory clan. Become a King in your own right so you are no longer beholden to that… girl_. His father had said with fury coating his words.

Percy could recall the look of hope on Rias' face as her brother announced he would receive a reward for winning. He also remembered how devastated she looked when he asked to be made a King instead. It crushed him to do that but he remembered the words of Aphrodite from his father's earlier message. _Do what you were born to_.

If he killed Riser then it didn't matter if he was still betrothed to Rias because he was dead and not coming back. The two orders from Olympus complemented each other very well which is why Percy didn't put up such a big fight.

Or course, Percy didn't know exactly how all the King stuff worked in the first place. He'd only been a devil for a few weeks now, but it made sense he would become independent. The other Kings didn't seem to answer to anyone so Percy would go his own way after winning. Maybe he'd even start his own Clan.

The Jackson Clan. That had a nice ring to it.

Then again, it probably wouldn't matter as he would have to marry Gabriel who was an Angel. The gods had also confirmed that he was going to meet with her soon too. They were hammering out the finally details when the whole 'devils finding out about Percy's being a demigod' situation came up.

Coming back to the plight at hand, Percy tensed.

"Good luck competitors. Ready… BEGIN!" Grayfia announced.

Neither Percy nor Riser moved. Percy because he was waiting to see what Riser would do and Riser because it seemed he was just too lazy to actually try.

The demigod decided that if Riser was going to take this so lightly, he was going to take advantage of it. He knelt down and opened the bag his dad got him only to see a whole bunch of petrified seashells. Percy brought the first one out and saw it was a traditional mollusk style with pale pink shading. All of them seemed to be in perfect condition without any cracks or breaks in the shell.

"It seems our little friend has a seashell collecting hobby here" Riser said loudly, his voice echoing throughout the arena. His laughter was as mocking as his words were.

Percy ignored him and smiled instead. This Underworld didn't have much water to call upon; according to his father there were only lakes and they weren't anywhere around here. There wasn't enough water in the air to coalesce together to form anything useful that wouldn't tire him out either.

Zenith Tempest seemed to be able to create some water but he hadn't experimented with that enough yet. And if there was anything he learned from the Rating Game it was how tired he got from trying to call forth so much power.

With these shells though he could call the power of the ocean here. There was enough in this bag to easily flood this arena.

The demigod took out a few shells and started throwing them around the arena behind and to the side of him. He wanted an even placement for them though so he was going to have to start moving around.

"You know" Percy said in casual conversation, "I always knew you were an asshole. Ever since I met you at the mansion you were nothing but arrogant and a dick. The Rating Game only confirmed that to me. Worst of all though was your complete disregard of Rias' feelings. You just had to push and push and refused to even consider what she wanted. For all that and more, I'm going to kick your ass as the lowly Pawn you so despise. I won't use any promotions."

There was still about half the bag left and he still had Riser's side of the arena to cover.

Coming to a stop in the middle of the coliseum Percy gave Riser his fiercest wolf glare. Even monsters usually stayed away when they saw that though it appeared Phenex was made of sterner stuff. He put away Riptide for the moment and formed his armor on his arm knowing he was pissing Riser off with every word.

 _Good_ he thought, _an angry opponent is a distracted opponent_. The more time Riser spent focusing on Percy himself rather than on the seashells gave the demigod all the leverage he would need.

"You know nothing _boy_ " he spat out. Percy could only laugh at the insult. After hearing Artemis and the hunters spew it at him for years, he could only find it funny. His cousin was about a million times scarier then Riser would ever be. The devil growled at him.

"Enough of this" the devil said dashing forward. Percy looked around and realized he still had a long way to go before his plan was fully ready.

Coming towards him with a fist of flames Percy readied himself for the blow. The fire wouldn't be comfortable but it wouldn't burn him. The flames were only an orangey red, not white hot, so they weren't his hottest. If he could withstand lava, he could withstand some minor fire.

It was almost as if the fist was coming towards Percy in slow motion. Riser didn't aim for Percy's face like he expected but rather his stomach. When he collided, Percy felt his breath leave him and he flew away to the far side of the arena. He could hear voices in the crowd yell out in despair though the only one he could pick out was Rias'.

But that was exactly what he was hoping for.

Remaining on the ground feigning pain he heard Riser laugh again. Percy quickly reached into the bag and threw some more seashells around this side of the arena and got to his feet before Riser noticed the new additions. He pretended to wobble for a moment to look like he was dizzy and almost smiled when Riser flew forward and grabbed him by the shirt.

Percy never liked being punched in the face. Sure, it's happened loads of times to him but nobody ever liked being punched there. He could hear his nose break and feel the blood drip down into his mouth. Percy knew enough to turn his head just slightly to prevent the full impact from Riser's punches but not give him away yet.

"Is this the best you got worthless lowborn? Riser hasn't even begun to make you suffer yet." Phenex yelled as he punched. He didn't seem like he was going to let go but he had already flown them closer to the middle of the arena so Percy could take the rest from there.

Besides, it had to look like he was fighting back somewhat.

"I was wondering when the mosquitoes were going to stop biting" Percy taunted the devil. He could see Riser's eyes glow as fire burned in them.

Right as Riser pulled his fist back for another punch, Percy brought his knee upwards as fast as he could nailing the devil right in the abdomen. He felt Riser's grip slacken and Percy took the chance to bring his armored hand up and rip Riser's away from his shirt. Before Riser could even counter though, Percy brought his foot up in the now open space between them and slammed Riser's stomach with a hard kick creating separation between them.

Riser flew backwards in the air while Percy used his momentum to throw himself downwards towards Riser's original starting point. He could imagine the fury his uncle was feeling about being up in his domain so long.

Before he impacted the ground, Percy threw himself into a roll and used his armored claw to slow down his momentum to come to a complete stop. He did a quick check of himself and nothing seemed to be broken or bruised aside from his nose.

In a matter of haste, Percy threw out the last remaining seashells around this side of the arena so that everything was covered. The bag was finally empty.

"You're going to pay for that" Riser said as he straightened his back.

Now it was Percy's turn to scoff. "Yeah, yeah. You say the same thing over and over again. Can't you get any new threats to throw at me."

Riser must not have liked that because Percy saw him engulf his entire body in flames. A deep red shade too. The demigod could feel the heat from where he stood on the ground.

"You want to play with fire?" Riser asked angrily. "Well let's see how you handle this then." In his palm Percy saw Riser form a fireball as red hot as the flames covering his body. The ball grew steadily larger and larger until it was easily the size of beach volleyball.

 _Well at least he's taking me seriously now_ the demigod thought to himself.

The Phenex devils swung his arm forward like he was throwing a baseball and Percy had to jump to the side as the fireball went soaring over his head and crashed into the arena wall. The resulting explosion was powerful enough that he was forced to roll on the ground just due to the pressure the blast expelled.

Quickly getting to his feet Percy saw Riser again forming another fireball. If he kept that up this fight would become one-sided with Percy only evading attacking while Riser kept the upper hand.

It was time to change things up.

"Not bad" Percy said in mock approval. "Why if I had my marshmallows, I might have even been able to get them a nice toasty brown from your flames. I think it is time to change things up a bit though don't you? Let's do this Tiamat!"

Percy heard the dragon laugh a harsh laugh as he felt her resonate with his own desires. She was looking forward to this fight just as much as he was.

 **CHAOS KARMA DRAGON! ZENITH TEMPEST BALANCE BREAKER!**

He pulled Riptide out of his pants as his armor quickly began forming over his body and completely encasing him in the blue scale mail. Percy felt his wings spring from his back and separated them wide. It was almost as if they knew they were finally going to be used for the first time.

"Your petty little armor won't save you!" Riser roared as he flew higher into the air. His wings grew larger until the wingspan was easily 20 feet wide and Percy saw him ready another fireball to throw at him.

"I think it is time we cool things down. Hope you like the ocean Riser because this is going to be the last beach day you ever experience."

Percy felt the tugging in his gut. He thrust has arms out and pulled with all his power until he felt a connection with all the seashells littered around the arena floor. The demigod closed his eyes as his body felt one with the shells.

"AGHH! TAKE THIS!" Riser said throwing a quick succession of fireballs Percy's way. The initial one was large, easily the size yoga ball, while the ones behind it were considerably less so, all ranging in from the size of a baseball to a soccer ball.

None of them mattered though.

Percy threw his eyes open when he finally connected with all the shells and urged his power to obey him. It was like a hundred massive geysers had formed in the Underworld as each shell quickly turned into forceful sprout of water.

And not just any water either. No, these shells came straight from Atlantis so this was the purest salt water in the entire ocean.

Percy watched the fireballs streak toward him with a large grin. He had let Riser get a few punches in but now they were on his home turf. The devils wanted a show of his power? Well he'd give them a show then.

Calling forth the still shooting geysers nearby, Percy willed the water to form a barrier in front of him. The fireballs collided with the water in a hissing explosion.

"You're going to have to do a lot better than that." Percy told Riser. The water had begun filling the arena quite fast and it was already at Percy's knees.

The demigod took a few steps forward completely unhindered by the water and looked up at the flying devil. Riser eyed the rising water level but didn't look fazed by it instead sneering down at Percy. He threw a few more fireballs at the water and they both watched as it slammed into the forming pool and began evaporating.

Unfortunately for Riser, as fast as it was evaporating into the air, the seashells below were replenishing the water.

Percy willed more power into the seashells then and felt his Sacred Gear speed up his demigod powers. They seemed to be working in symbiosis and as much power he willed with his demigod nature was matched by Zenith Tempest's power. It was only a matter of seconds before the water had risen well over 15 yards and continued to grow.

The son of the Sea let himself sink down back to the arena floor completely submerging himself in the salty water. He felt at complete peace here and felt more powerful than he ever had before.

Above the surface, Riser's taunts and demands for a fight were filtered out to gibberish by the pooling sea.

Feeling his nose snap back into place and the bruises on his face begin fading away, Percy stretched out his wings as wide as they would go letting the water soak into the metal. He had no fear of his armor rusting. Tiamat and Zenith Tempest were of the sea just as much as he was. The sea would not hurt itself.

"Alright Riser" Percy said below the surface. He doubted the devil in question could even hear him. "Let's show you just how wrong you are."

With that, Percy willed himself forward under the water.

The resulting motion caught him completely off guard as he swam forward so fast he almost slammed into the arena wall on the other side. He had never been this fast in his entire life and that included the times he actually swam in the ocean.

 _ **You need to let the fins guide you**_ Tiamat said in his head. _**You control the current and your fins will carry you where you want to go**_.

Percy nodded at that. He spread his fins out again and tried once more this time with much more success. He managed to get back across the arena floor just as fast as he did a minute ago but now, he came to a much smoother stop and his fins knew exactly how to turn and twist so he was facing Riser above him.

The devil was lashing out his fireballs in a fury doing everything he could he stop the water level from rising any further. Percy could see that the arena had now flooded to well above 75 yards and they were coming close to the castle walls at the top. Another 25 yards maybe. He had a sneaking suspicion that Poseidon designed the shells so they would stop just before reaching the top.

The demigod doubted Riser would be able to see him from this far down. Even with the devil's enhanced eyesight this water was not crystal clear instead appearing murky. Not to mention that the shadows from the arena itself created pockets that were completely hidden from anyone trying to look down.

Percy had to smirk at that. It seemed he was now the monster hidden in the deep.

He was going to use that to his advantage.

Riser continued indiscriminately throwing fireballs in every direction. Every few seconds he turned around to throw in a new direction leaving his back exposed. Percy waited for just the right moment before attacking.

Percy settled himself directly in front of Riser patiently waiting for his opportunity. He had timed it now so in a couple of second the devil would turn.

 _NOW_! He thought when Riser began turning. Percy willed himself forward out of the water thrusting himself like a torpedo with his armor fist raised high.

"-GHT ME!" Riser was saying to nobody. "YOU COWARD! FACE ME LIKE A MAN!"

When Percy broke the surface, Riser realized his mistake. He turned back to face Percy with a snarl on his face but it didn't last long as Percy's fist punched him right in the nose and sent him flying towards the top of the Queen chess piece. The resulting crash was brutal as Riser broke throw the rock destroying the pillar.

Percy didn't wait to see how bad Riser was hurt and immediately fell back into the water and disappeared below the surface again. He remained close enough to see above it but was still deep enough to be hidden.

Riser rose from the rubble with blood and scrapes covering his face and sides.

"YOU THINK THAT IS ENOUGH TO DEFEAT ME!" he screamed. Suddenly, his body was coated in flames again and Percy watched as it healed itself of his wounds.

The Phenex formed his wings again and took off into the air stopping in the middle of the arena. He glared down at the water in clear hatred.

 _I need another plan_ Percy thought to himself.

Tiamat was fortunately around to bounce ideas off of. _**It would seem so. You will need to stop his flames somehow**_.

Percy nodded in agreement. As long as he could make those healing flames Percy wasn't going to be able to do much damage.

 _How though_? He wondered. If he could maybe submerge Riser in the water that might do it.

 _ **A storm?**_ Tiamat suggested.

It wasn't a bad idea by any stretch but Percy didn't think it would be any use in this situation. He was already in a growing pond of water and had access to all the water he needed. A miniature hurricane might prove useful if Percy could get Riser closer to the water's surface but he didn't think Riser would fall for such a trap.

Then something occurred to him. Taking the cap off of Riptide Percy saw his sword glow brightly in the water. To anyone who knew what they were looking at they would know where he was but if Riser was as unfamiliar with the water as Percy suspected then the demigod would just appear to be another green spot in the pool.

Riser seemed to be waiting for him this time as he wasn't throwing fire around anymore. He must have realized that despite him evaporating the surface he wasn't stopping the pooling water from growing.

Willing himself to the surface once more, Percy again shot up towards the flying devil with Riptide gripped in his hand.

Riser flew down to meet him this time as fast as Percy was soaring up to meet him. The demigod saw another fireball come flying at him and swung Riptide up in an arc of destruction causing it to blow up in both their faces.

Neither was affected by it with Riser absorbing the flames and Percy's armor protecting him.

Before Percy could reach back into the water though, he felt the burning hand of Riser grab hold of his leg and spin him around. The spot where his hand met his ankle began heating up from the white-hot flames but it wasn't anything too concerning to Percy.

What was concerning was when he was thrown through the top of the Knight piece and he felt his armor get crushed under the falling debris. It knocked him out of breath for a minute as he tried to scramble and get the large rocks off of him.

Regrettably, that moment of hesitation was all Riser needed as he flew down feet first to slam the top of the rocks and blasted Percy through the top of the Knight piece. He was forced through the structure all the way to the ground level where his back was hammered into stone and concrete.

It took a moment for Percy's eyes to adjust to the dark surroundings. A small light from the ceiling above was visibly but aside from that it was pitch black.

Or at least it was until Riser's fist rammed into his helmet leaving a streak of fire behind it.

"You should have given up when you had the chance Pawn! If you weren't hiding behind that armor, you'd be nothing but ember and ash right now."

Another fist slammed into Percy, this time in his stomach. Percy would have thought that Riser punching metal would have hurt but it became clear that those flames in his fist did more than just add a little something extra to his hits. Sadly, they were healing him as well.

Percy growled as another fist smashed into him. His face again. He thought he heard a slight crack on the helmet but he had no way to check in the darkness like this.

"Let's see how you like this!" Riser yelled. "The Hellfire from my clan will scorch through your petty armor Jackson!"

Percy had to turn aside as the room went from utter darkness to a blinding white light, Riser willing his flames to consume the room. The demigod felt himself sweating in his armor and he was growing hotter by the second as the flames engulfed everything.

"TAKE THIS!" the Phenex screamed in front of Percy. He felt an uppercut crunch into his helmet as the fire around Riser exploded outwards and blast into him. He found himself soaring high into the air as he burst from the Knight gasping for a breath and Riser hot on his tail.

Percy reached out and called the ocean to him to get him back in the water. It was so close now Percy could practically taste it.

"Oh, I don't think so" Riser said and Percy found himself once more being thrown sideways through the air and the water just missing him. This time he crashed into his own piece: The Pawn.

The son of Poseidon felt the statue collapse outwards this time as the rocks fell down into the water rather than atop Percy. Still, that didn't leave Percy enough time to escape as Riser followed up with another Hellfire punch right into his chest. His breastplate held up but Percy thought he might have cracked a rib or two.

Another few Hellfire punches like the one he just experienced and Percy knew he wouldn't win this fight. He needed separation and to get back into the water as fast as possible.

Throughout all this Percy had still managed to keep a firm grip on Riptide by some miracle. Really, he should have dropped it long since but it was like he had willed a sticky substance on his hand to prevent his sword from falling.

"SUFFER!" Riser screamed again. His fist was once more forming another Hellfire punch ready to hit him square in the face.

Knowing he only had a moment to react, Percy swung Riptide up horizontally thinking that would give him the space from Riser he needed. What he didn't count on was Riser not expecting the Celestial Bronze blade to cut him across the stomach as painfully as it did.

This time, when Riser screamed, it was in agony rather than rage.

Percy watched him for a moment as Riser he jumped back into the air and flames covered the large gash bleeding across his chest. He saw the fire fill the wound and staunch the bleeding but the gash remained.

Riser was breathing deeply as Percy could see his chest rising and falling at a fairly quick pace and he expanded his wings as wide as they would go again covering himself in his flames.

The demigod fell down back into the water and realized what he could do to defeat Riser. He felt the water soak into his armor and began healing his wounds though he knew he'd be sore for a few days.

It began rather simply actually. Percy sunk a bit deeper into the sea covered arena and used his powers to swim in a circle creating a current. Gradually, Percy got faster and faster as the water started churning in sync with his speed. In no time at all Percy had created a whirlpool and willed the water to continuing following its path.

Then he used his Zenith Tempest powers.

Shoving his hands forward Percy demanded the whirlpool to begin rising towards the surface. Water all around him began getting caught up in the swirling rapids but that was all the better for him as it just fed into the whirlpool.

Feeling the tug in his stomach with the power in his arms, Percy combined the abilities and thrust his arms high into the water and watched as the whirlpool burst from the water surface and formed a cyclone of destruction pulling everything towards it.

Riser was completely surprised by the power of his blast and soon found himself caught up and being whipped around by the vortex. The rocks from the Pawn pillar slammed into the devil and the demigod saw blood begin mixing with the water.

Percy didn't wait around to admire his ability though. He jumped right into the cyclone and swam up to the level of Riser completely unhurt by the swirling water. Riptide thrummed mystically in his hand and Percy didn't waste time as he swung the sword outward and watched as Riser cut himself on the blade every time he passed by.

Each cut caused the devil to scream in pain. Percy didn't look away though. Riser was trying to ignite his flames again but every time they tried to light, they were quickly snuffed out by his water. If he turned his back for even a second it was possible the devil might find a way to escape and Percy couldn't have that.

"Ple-as-e" Riser gurgled as water filled his mouth. He was struggling to breath and he could barely talk. The only reason Percy heard him clearly was his ability to hear submerged in water.

The water immediately surrounding them was a deep red now as each cut Percy made let more blood escape Riser's body.

"This is no more than you deserve" Percy told him calmly. "I told you before there wasn't anything worse than a man who forced himself on a woman. You should have just let Rias go."

Percy's words must have finally reached Riser's brain as he nodded his head and tried to speak out something.

Unfortunately for him, it was too late.

Percy threw his left arm out and grabbed Riser by the throat pulling him into the center of the whirlpool. The demigod could see numerous cuts and slashes across his entire body, each pooling blood. If Percy was a shark, he'd be having a feast right now.

Riser began gasping for breath and his arms flailed wildly in the water. He wasn't dead yet but it was only a matter of time. And without being able to speak he couldn't forfeit the fight either. There would be no saving grace in the form of Grayfia coming to save him.

Suddenly, something caught Percy's eye as Riser met his gaze.

A lone tear escaped down his cheek that somehow glistened in the water. Phoenix Tears. The one thing in this world that could restore the health and power of anybody.

Percy couldn't let those tears reach down to Riser's wounds otherwise they'd be at square one again.

That meant those eyes had to go.

"I'm sorry" Percy said somberly and he meant it. He wasn't looking forward to what he was about to do but it was necessary.

Setting Riptide aside for a moment to float next to them, Percy willed the water to pull Riser close to him. The devil tried to dance around and escape but Percy imagined the water seizing his arms and he was suddenly immobile; unable to do anything other than squirm in place.

Percy knew this was going to hurt and so decided to get it over with. He lunged his hands forward and pierced the sockets of Riser's eyes with his dragon claws digging them into the bone. A burst of bubbles escaped Riser's mouth as he was clearly screaming in pain but the water muffled the noise so nobody could hear him.

When he felt the nerves in the back of Riser's eyes, Percy yanked. A gusher of blood poured out of the holes as Percy pulled away with two dark blue eyes in his hands with the nerves and tear ducts attached. The gaping wounds in Riser's face caused his once handsome face to become uglier than Hephaestus now. Water surged into the vacant sockets no doubt the salty sea water causing even more pain to the devil.

Riser looked pitiful now. The once proud devil floated in the water with a broken and cut up body surrounded in a growing cloud of his own blood. He looked on the point of unconsciousness though he wasn't fully incapacitated just yet.

Putting both eyes in his left hand, Percy reached out and willed Riptide to appear in his right. He would end this now before anything else could happen.

"I don't know what happens when devils die but I hope you don't go to Tartarus. After being there I don't know if I'd wish that on my worst enemy. In any case, goodbye Riser. I hope to never see your smug face again."

With those words, Percy performed an exact reenactment of his dreamscape from a few hours ago. He thrust Riptide right through the heart of Riser and brought himself so he could look right into the devil's face despite Riser not being able to look back. Seeing Riser take his final breath, Percy ripped his sword upwards, clean through the neck of the devil swinging himself around in a circle.

He didn't need to turn around to see Riser's body split in two before dissolving into black flakes and settle on the arena floor below.

Breathing deeply, Percy looked down and saw the eyes in his bloody hands while Riptide softly glowed in the other. The son of the Sea felt a moment of pride that was urged on by Tiamat at having defeated his opponent.

The dragon roared aloud for all to hear as the sea echoed her joy.

 **TREASURE!** she yelled. Percy felt both horrified and pleased with the new additions to his collection. Seems he kept his promise to Tiamat too as he now had Phenex eyes as a trophy.

Rising to the surface Percy could hear celebrating from the top of the wall. His cyclone had dispersed back into this new makeshift lake he formed and he saw the Gods excitedly chatting with watching devils.

Nobody seemed particularly upset he had killed Riser. He supposed that was just Devil society. Only the strong survive.

As Percy broke through the surface, he found himself staring at a set of stairs made of water leading right to the devils and his family up top. He quickly dismissed his armor and shoved the eyes and a now capped Riptide back into his pockets. He doubted anyone really wanted to look at either of those right then.

Making his way up, he saw his father was the first one to greet him at the top. The grin on Poseidon's face was just as wide as the one he got when he defeated Kronos and Percy couldn't help but smile back. Before Percy could even get over the top, he was pulled over into a giant hug by his old man.

He felt a few claps on his back from Hermes and Apollo, both of which had huge grins as well as a bag of money in their hands. Even Ares seemed pleased with his fight.

"Now that's what I call a fight" the God of War said animatedly. "The way he swung his sword and those kicks. The punk learned everything he knows from me of course"

Percy rolled his eyes but knew better than to correct his cousin.

After a few moments of greeting and congratulations from the Gods, a small pathway opened up to reveal Sirzechs standing in front of Rias and the rest of the peerage. He looked impressed too which caused Percy's face to flush momentarily.

"You have won Percy." Sirzechs confirmed to everyone. "It would seem that Riser perished in your fight as you emerged victorious. I will admit that it was an ingenious strategy really. Dousing the Phenex flames before they could heal his wounds. And I should like to get a closer inspection of that sword of yours in the future." The Great Devil raised an eyebrow at that but didn't seem to want to press the issue right now.

"My father is already in discussion with Lord Phenex of course but you needn't fear retaliation from their household. They understood it would most likely be a fight to the death."

Percy felt relieved to hear that. If he had to constantly be looking over his shoulder in fear of someone from Phenex house attacking him then Percy might have just locked himself away from everyone all together.

"Additionally, it would seem my sister is no longer betrothed to the Phenex house either. Do not worry though. My father has already agreed to let Rias choose her own husband now. Much less messy relations than trying to go through this all over again I think."

Sirzechs said it amusingly but the look of incredulity of Rias' face was worth every painful experience Percy underwent tonight. Her beautiful crystal blue eyes widened in shock and she brought her hands up to her mouth to cover up an open jaw.

Percy gave her a smile though his King didn't seem to register it just yet.

"And as promised, you will be raised to a high-class devil and allowed to become a King. I'll send Grayfia to you in the next few days to gather you for the ceremony. Your father and family will of course be invited to attend as well" he added graciously. Percy felt his father's hand on his shoulder squeeze just a tad tighter in an effort to release tension but he only saw respectful head nods and smiles from Zeus and Hera.

The King and Queen of the Gods were turning out to be one Hades of diplomats. It was like they were completely different people in the company of others.

Without further words, Sirzechs shot both Rias and Percy a final smile before he turned around, held out his arm for Grayfia to grab hold of, and disappeared in a magic circle. It was like his departure was the signal everyone else was waiting for as many of the devils watching the display immediately formed circles of their own and vanished somewhere in the Underworld.

"We will leave you now nephew" Zeus said looking at Percy with some respect. Begrudging respect for sure but respect nonetheless. "Listen to your father. We will talk again soon."

Then, in a crack of thunder, Zeus transported almost all the gods away, no doubt back to Olympus. The only one remaining was Poseidon.

However, before he could even turn back to talk to him, Percy found himself being whipped around and coming face to face with an angry Rias Gremory. She still looked shocked by everything that she was just told but Percy also saw tears in her eyes forming. The rest of the peerage must have been transported elsewhere as only Rias stood in front of him.

"Rias?" he asked unsurely. He didn't understand why she was suddenly so upset. "What's wr –"

A loud slap rang out on the castle structure and Percy found himself holding a stinging cheek.

"How dare you?" she said angrily. She slapped him again, this time on the arm.

"I don't –" he tried to say but was cut off.

"Why would you do that? _How_ did you do that? You knew Riser was immortal and you fought him anyway. Do you have no regard to your health? For my feelings? What if you had gotten hurt? What if you had _died_!?" she practically screamed at him. The few devils remaining turned a curious glance towards them before realizing this was a private moment and flashed themselves away.

Now it was clear to him and he could understand why she was so upset. Honestly, he didn't blame her for feeling that way. He wouldn't have done anything differently though.

Giving her a smile Percy pulled Rias into a hug not caring about who else was watching. He could feel his dad's disapproving glare on his back but he had earned this. The demigod felt a few tears soak his shirt but he didn't mind.

"It's alright Rias. I won and you're free now."

After indulging for a few minutes, Percy pulled away and saw Rias smiling at him with her warmest smile. She seemed so happy that Percy couldn't help laughing and smiling back.

Then, completely unexpectedly, Percy felt Rias' hand grab the back of his neck and pull him down for a deep kiss. It was a sweet kiss with passion and gentleness. Percy found himself unwilling to break away from it.

Her lips tasted of blueberry which Percy absolutely loved. He wondered how the lipstick she was wearing got that flavor if it wasn't blue but he wouldn't complain. Rias was clearly inexperienced when it came to this but Percy found that endearing. He had only kissed two other girls himself so who was he to call an expert.

Pulling away, both Percy and Rias were breathing deeply. Rias' cheeks were flushed and red and Percy had no doubts his probably were too. He found himself wishing he could kiss her again.

That's when he remembered he couldn't be feeling these emotions. She would be his enemy soon enough if the Gods insisted on the war. That's not to mention that he technically already had a betrothed himself now.

Was it still cheating if they hadn't actually met yet?

He was saved from those thoughts by his father clearing his throat behind them. Rias seemed a bit surprised to see Poseidon still there and blushed in obvious embarrassment but Percy jumped at the opportunity to see what his dad still wanted.

Percy turned to look at his dad and was met with sea green smiling down at him. However, those eyes turned a stormy hurricane when they shifted to Rias behind him.

It was clear his dad did not like Rias for what she did.

"You did well my son. My brother and sisters along with your cousins were very pleased with you tonight. You have done much to restore yourself to their good graces."

Percy felt a flash of anger at that but pushed it down. He didn't really care all that much about being in the good graces of the gods as long as they didn't kill him or anyone he cared about. But saying that to his father probably wasn't the wisest choice either.

The god looked back and forth between Percy and Rias a moment before he nodded his head.

"Remember your duties Percy. I will see you at the ceremony in a few days. Until then my son." And then Poseidon vanished into a Seabreeze mist leaving Percy all alone with Rias.

That last bit was a clear reminder about Gabriel and their upcoming meeting. Percy tried to shove that thought to the side as he turned to a still blushing Rias and smiled but he only half succeeded. He couldn't find it in himself to kiss Rias again now that his own fiancé was on his mind.

Rias seemed unsure about what to do now so Percy saved her the effort. He found it kind of cute that this strong-willed independent woman could suddenly be so shy but then again, she did just kiss him in front of his own father. He gave her a teasing laugh meant to comfort rather than mock.

She seemed to relax at his voice and transformed back into the powerful King he had come to know.

"I don't know about you but I think we've had a long day. How about we head on home?" Percy suggested.

The Princess of Destruction nodded in agreement and stepped up close to Percy pulling him into another tight hug. He wrapped his arms around her unable to prevent thinking to himself just how good she felt in his arms.

Looking out over the now flooded arena one last time, Percy saw the broken-down pillar chess pieces. The Queen was destroyed from Riser's collision while the Pawn and Knight pieces had giant holes in them from where Percy smashed into them. The Bishop piece was melted in spots from Riser's burning flames and covered in scorch marks while the Rook piece was completely submerged under water.

The only piece left standing completely fine was the King in all his glory. The cross at the top seemed to glisten as the stars in the Underworld sky shined on it.

As Percy and Rias disappeared with the Magic Circle Percy couldn't help thinking this would be a memorial sight. Perhaps it might even be remembered as the true spot when the war between Greek Gods and Devils began. Only time would tell what this day would bring but Percy knew he wasn't looking forward to it either way.

End of Arc Three

 _Then it all crashes down,_

 _and you break your crown,_

 _and you point your finger,_

 _But there's no one around._

 _You just want one thing, just to play the King_

 _But the castles crumbled and you're left with just a name._

 _Where's your Crown King Nothing?_

 **AN:**

 **So here we are, the end of the Arc Three. It's been one year since I first published this story and now 300,000 words later we reached this point. I have to say it's been pretty crazy for me.**

 **I hope this was worth the pay off you all were waiting for. I said that there would be some big stuff that went down in this chapter and I think Percy's rewards and Riser's demise qualify for that.**

 **Now, I want to say that I do know that Percy's status as a King doesn't make him not a Pawn of Rias anymore. Percy and the Gods don't know that yet though so when you read this from Percy's POV that's going to be his thoughts. Just want to clarify before somebody writes me that I'm an idiot and don't know my DxD canon.**

 **I would really appreciate hearing from you guys on this chapter in the reviews and PMs. Did you guys like it? Were you surprised with how things went down? Please tell me your thoughts as I'd love the feedback.**

 **Next chapter will be the second Interlude and will cover some more demigod mischief that I think you guys will like.**

 **Additionally, I was writing this chapter with the song King Nothing by Metallica in mind, hence the title. The final few words are actually the Chorus of the song. I thought it fit nicely with the theme of the chapter. Who do you guys think is the King nothing though? Riser? Or Percy? Tell me your thoughts in the reviews.**

 **Now, on to one last note. For those that have noticed, I have actually started writing another story with a friend of mine, Trayia. This one is a Percy Jackson and Fairy Tail crossover with Percy being the MC. If you guys are interested, go check that out and drop us some reviews. It's just starting but the story is gonna be fire.**

 **As always, thank you to everyone who reads this story. I especially appreciate those that drop me PMs or Reviews but I am grateful for anyone who takes the time to read, follow, and favorite the story.**

 **Here's to another strong year guys and gals!**

 **Stormwreckin**


	24. Interlude 2: Deals with a Madman

Interlude 2: Deals with a Madman

Nico was outside St. Peter's Basilica trying to look inconspicuous in his brown bomber jacket and leaning in the shadows against a pillar in the courtyard. Around him were a mass of tourists taking photos and pointing animatedly at all the artistic statues of Heavenly figures. People were speaking all kinds of languages as he saw a British couple joke quietly together in English, saw a guided tour group of Japanese people eagerly taking photos with their cameras, and of course the regular Italian natives muttering expletives about annoying, uncultured visitors.

He himself rolled his eyes at the display and turned his attention to the steps of the Basilica. It had been over half an hour now since Connor and Travis Stoll had snuck into the building and, while he would never admit it to the others, he was starting to get anxious. The mission was supposed to be fairly easy. Get in, steal some special sword they had locked up, and get out. Or course there was bound to be security in place to prevent the swords theft and from what Nico understood this sword was supposed to be really important to the Angels, but Connor and Travis were sons of Hermes, the God of Thieves, and they were extremely talented at what they did.

Nico remembered hearing one story about how the two managed to steal two 80-inch TVs, Blu-ray players, Xbox One and PS4 consoles, along with hundreds of games, only to take one of the salesman's cars and drive it all to camp. Of course, Chiron made them return everything once he found out about it, but for a very brief moment in time the Stoll's were everyone's favorite people at camp.

That's not to mention the special ability that some Hermes Children seemed to possess that allowed them to bypass certain security features. Just take that traitor Luke Castellan for example. He used his special Hermes powers and managed to steal arguably one of the strongest weapons the world has ever seen. Connor and Travis also inherited that ability and they have had years to hone their skills.

Another ten minutes had passed and the sun was starting to go down. People were beginning to leave the courtyard and only a handful of tourists remained. If Connor and Travis didn't return soon then Nico was going to have no choice but to enter the Basilica and search for them himself.

 _Maybe the Angel's powers were interfering with Connor and Travis' own demigod abilities?_ The son of Hades mused to himself. He remembered how unusual and difficult it was to accurately use his own powers when he helped Percy take out that Fallen Angel whore and her gaggle of idiot servants. The Heavenly power of the Church was actively working against him though in the end he was able to overcome it.

Nico checked the watch he wore on his wrist again. Another two minutes had passed.

Dread started creeping through him as he prepared himself for the invasion.

That Fallen Angel Church was certainly a stronghold there in Kuoh but it wasn't nearly as powerful as this place was. Nico could practically feel the Heavenly power rolling off of St. Peter's Basilica and wrecking all kinds of havoc on his own abilities.

But this was partially why Connor and Travis were in charge of making this theft and not Nico. Annabeth had hypothesized that because of Hermes skillset as a god – Travelers, Thieves, Athletes, Trade and Merchants, Roads, etc. – then his children were also the least likely to be affected by Heavenly power. Her explanation was actually much more complicated than that and she did some kind of analysis comparing the power bases of demigods by using Nico's explanation of what happened in Kuoh as a threshold, but in short it boiled down to the fact that because Nico's power was so concentrated in one area – Death and Necromancy and Shadows – the Heavenly power had an easier time of focusing its hindering abilities on him. Conversely, because Connor and Travis had such a wide range of abilities and skills as sons of Hermes, Heavenly power would have to target more of them to stop their abilities from working effectively.

Of course, she could be wrong about it; nobody really knew what kind of effect the Christian Powers had on demigods yet, but she did seem pretty sure of herself. Enough anyway to convince the others this plan had the most success.

Another five minutes gone. Nico shuffled his feet back and forth a few times, refusing to take his eyes from the Basilica's entrance.

The daughter of Athena was actually with Hazel and two other sons of Mercury in England right now performing a similar heist on the Church of England, a separate Protestant branch of Christianity. Hazel's powers were actually geared more towards the geokinesis skillset of their father while he himself seemed to inherit more of the Necromancy and Umbrakinesis powers though both could use either abilities. Much like his own job, Hazel was supposed to get everyone back to camp after the theft was complete.

Nico checked his watch for a third time and looked specifically at the two smaller clock faces to the side of the main clock. The one on the left was set to time in the United Kingdom and was an hour behind his own current time. 4:47 pm his own watch read which meant it was 3:47 pm in the UK.

The face on the right however was ahead of his own. 6:47 pm it read. The time of Istanbul Turkey and where the third sword they were after today was supposed to reside.

That was where the last group of thieves were. A daughter of Mercury, supposedly the best thief in Camp Jupiter, and Jason along with Mrs. O'Leary as their transport. The second strongest base supposedly, after St. Peter's Basilica at least, and one of the heads of the Eastern Orthodox Church. The only reason the gods and demigods even knew to hit these targets was due to some mysterious source of information Athena refused to elaborate on. Whoever it was, Nico was supposed to meet back up with Annabeth and Jason later today after everything was completed and take them to Japan where they were going to hand off the weapons to somebody else and help kick-start this war.

It was probably somebody on the Fallen Angels side if snippets of overheard conversations were anything to go by. The son of Hades had accidentally overheard a discussion between Annabeth and her mother going into some detail about what her next part in this whole situation was going to be. And, to be honest, what he heard was definitely not what Annabeth wanted.

As was the case in recent weeks, Annabeth wanted to go to Japan and search for Percy. Nico still thought that was a terrible idea and fortunately Athena saw through her daughter's manipulations and prevented her from doing so. Unfortunately, she was required to go to Japan still in order to complete the hand off of the swords they were stealing as she was expected.

 _Alright, it's been too long now_ Nico thought. The courtyard was mostly barren at this point with only a few stragglers remaining. A few Vatican guards roamed the upper part of the Basilica but they stuck out like a sore thumb and could be easily avoided.

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Nico began walking towards the entryway of the Basilica trying to look unsuspecting. He didn't really want to imagine what these Angels might do to him if they discovered he was here to rob them of a Treasure.

Nico might actually be able to use some influence with his father to help him out in the event he did get captured however. Hades was on ok terms with Heaven and of all the Christian forces he got along with them the most. It was almost as if he admired them a bit. Nico wasn't sure exactly the relationship his father had with Michael and the Angels but it was certainly better than the one he had with Fallen Angels and Devils.

"Nico" a voice quietly whispered to his right. The son of Hades practically froze midstep on the stairs when he heard the voice and relief washed over his body.

Without drawing attention to either himself or the mysterious voice, Nico casually turned towards the gates and tried to act as if the Basilica was closed. Not that hard to pull off considering it was supposed to be closing soon anyway. After looking like one of those "uncultured tourists" for a minute, Nico turned back around and headed straight for the shadows in the Square where he knew Connor and Travis would meet up with him.

He only had to wait for a few seconds before he felt the presence of the two sons of Hermes stroll up behind him, hiding next to a pillar. Nico could feel the power rolling off of them and knew they would only have a few minutes max before they were being hunted. That was if they weren't already being hunted.

"You took your damn time about it" Nico grumbled quietly as he leaned against the pillar. He didn't turn his head afraid that might draw too much attention to them but he let a little of his cold aura escape him to let the two idiots know of his displeasure with the situation. A few more seconds and he would have walked right into the Basilica and who knew what kind of problems that was going to make.

"Well we needed to find the right souvenir after all." Connor said smirking.

"We couldn't not come to Vatican City, perform one of the world's greatest heists, and not take a little something extra for our trouble, you know?" Travis added.

Nico squeezed his hands tight in a fist and felt a wave of fury wash over him.

Here he was, worrying about the mission and their potential capture, and they decided to take their sweet time because they wanted a trophy of their feat. He turned around to give them a piece of his mind when alarms suddenly started blaring out all around them. A massive barricade was quickly placed in front of the Square cutting off the exit way and sealing all remaining tourists inside the courtyard including the demigods.

Nico shot Connor and Travis his worst glare and the two boys had the audacity to give a cheeky grin though they looked extremely nervous.

"Schist" Nico muttered aloud. Already many of the Vatican guards were swarming the courtyard and separating many of the remaining people searching them for something.

"When we get back to Camp" Nico said addressing Connor and Travis, "I am going to beat you both so bad not even Hephaestus will envy your looks."

The two boys gulped at the threat obviously hoping Nico didn't make good on his promise.

"Alright," Nico said, "we need to get out of this courtyard as soon as possible. If we can get past the barricade I can Shadow Travel us back to Camp but right now the Heavenly Power is interfering too much to make a successful jump. If it was by myself, I could probably do it but if I try and drag you two along and whatever sword you managed to steal there's a good chance either somebody's going to lose a limb or we could end up in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. I doubt either of you would like that now."

Connor winced at the prospect of losing a limb while Travis just nodded vigorously at not trying to swim the length of an Ocean.

Nico surveyed the Courtyard trying to find an escape route that would allow him to get everyone home safely. The gates at the front were a flimsy defense at best but the dozens of guards standing behind them were another matter entirely. Each were carrying a gun strapped over their chests but that wasn't the part that made Nico pause. No, what made him pause was the odd sword hilt sticking off their waists without an attached blade.

The son of Hades recalled his fight with that rogue exorcist in Kuoh Town and how he had seen something similar. A golden hilt that, when activated, sprung forth a blade of white light and could hold up against his own Stygian Iron sword. That guy wasn't the best fighter but he was clearly able to hold his own against Nico and Will which made the demigod a bit nervous. He was only one guy but there had to be easily three of four dozen of them now, each with their own hilt. That way was almost assuredly blocked to them.

The demigods hadn't been noticed yet but it was only a matter of time. The guards searching the tourists weren't exactly handling them with care although they weren't inherently invasive either. It seemed they were looking for a specific individual too as their searches of the children were quick and mostly a formality.

"We can go through there," Connor spoke up suddenly and pointed his hand at a smaller alleyway that only contained four guards preventing escape. It was fairly small but if they went single file they could hide in the shadows and hopefully take them down quickly.

Nico nodded his agreement and together the three boys slowly began backing away and turned towards the alleyway. Fortunately, the sun wasn't able to get into the alleyway much, casting shadows throughout the path. The son of Hades felt a sense of comfort at the prospect and quickly strode between the buildings with Connor and Travis right on his heels.

It wasn't hard to figure out what was happening as the four guards were talking quietly amongst themselves in Italian.

"Can you believe somebody actually thought they could break into the Vatican and get away with it" a balding guard said to his companions.

"Do we even know what they took?" the guard on the far left asked.

The one in the middle left shook his head while the one on the far right said, "Not a clue. Apparently, somebody thought they would desecrate one of the graves though."

Nico turned around to give Connor and Travis another look and saw both brothers go ashen white at his glance. They didn't know Italian so they had no idea what was being said but if Nico could put two and two together it didn't take a miracle to guess that the sword, they came for was probably not what set off the alarms.

Oh, they were definitely going to be suffering later on if it was their little trophy that set off this chain event.

Taking a deep breath, Nico calmed himself and eyed the four guards ahead of them. At a distance they seemed ready to fight and appeared to be no nonsense about letting anyone escape. However, now that they were closer, Nico knew he could overpower them quite easily. Their stances weren't as straight-backed as he assumed and these four seemed a bit on the older side. They were still fit as far as he could tell but age catches up to everyone and these four didn't have the benefit of demigod genes to make them stronger and faster than a regular mortal.

Nico stopped for a minute and pulled at the shadows creating a barrier in front of him and the sons of Hermes effectively making them invisible for the moment. He knew he could keep this up for a few minutes but this drew a good amount of his strength to effectively do and he still needed to Shadow Travel everyone away.

He gave Connor and Travis a quick hand wave and started walking forward again. He didn't need to turn to know that they followed in his footsteps.

The guards stood only a few feet in front of them now. It didn't seem as if they had noticed anything different about the alleyway yet but it was only a matter of time. Nico raised his hand again and indicated a punching motion to the two guards on the left for Connor and Travis. He felt one of their hands touch his shoulder and give a light squeeze in acknowledgment.

With Connor and Travis focused on the two to the left that only left the two guys on the right for Nico to handle. He would have to be especially quick considering there was two of them.

Taking one more deep breath, Nico held his hand up with all five of his fingers raised in a countdown. He pulled his thumb in and tensed his muscles. Next came the pinky and he could feel Connor and Travis tensing up behind him. Now, the ring finger and Nico felt his free hand itching for action. Then came the middle finger and with it one final breath.

Nico didn't even pull his pointer finger down instead bringing his whole hand forward and releasing his shadowy shield in front of them. He surged forward and punched the far-right guard in the face without any qualms. He went down like a sack of potatoes and Nico's hand throbbed in pain to confirm his success.

To the side, a few grunts seemed to escape the other guards but Nico didn't wait before he tackled his second target to the ground and smacked him in the head with the pommel of his Stygian Iron sword. The guard's eyes fluttered briefly before unconsciousness overtook him and he was just lying on top of him.

"Well" the voice of Connor said drawing Nico's attention, "that was pretty anticlimactic."

The son of Hades snorted in derision. "Not only did we surprise them but they are mortals. Did you really expect them to be able to fight demigods?" Nico didn't wait any longer before he stood up and looked down at all four guards lying in a heap on the ground. They might have been wearing armor and carrying some weapons on them but a strong knock to the head is enough to take out any enemy.

"Come on" Nico said. He grabbed hold of both of their arms and ran towards the nearest shadow he could find. They were on the outskirts of Vatican City now and Nico could already feel the Heavenly power waning from this distance. "We need to get back to Camp. The others will be assuming something happened if we don't get back in the next five to ten minutes."

The sons of Hermes didn't need Nico to remind them of the kind of trouble that would cause. Especially considering how things had already gone down. Annabeth would undoubtedly be upset with them for the delays.

Nico didn't wait for them to say anything further and just led them outside the Angel's stronghold before running them all straight into the shadows and back home.

* * *

Annabeth stood in the Rec Room of the Big House pacing back and forth while waiting for Nico and Connor and Travis to return back from Italy. She and Hazel had gotten back well over thirty minutes ago now just as she'd planned it. Jason wasn't long behind her having returned twenty-five minutes ago.

Everything had been going to plan up till that point which meant of course something had to go wrong. And naturally it was probably the fault of the Stoll idiots. Annabeth knew she shouldn't have let both brothers go on the mission; she just knew something would go wrong with them in charge of the heist. However, both brothers were hands down the best thieves in either of the camps and St. Peter's Basilica was undoubtedly the strongest warded base the Angels had.

Or at least that was what her mother said based on reports from Hermes and Aphrodite. Both god and goddess had met with Angel delegations from all the Heavenly factions and seemed to think that Italy was their most guarded location. How her mother ever got Aphrodite to actually be useful for a change Annabeth didn't know but she was glad to have all the information she could get her hands on. It provided much need intelligence in how they planned the thefts of those Heavenly swords they had after all.

Jason sat down in the Zeus seat at the head of the ping-pong table watching her curiously. His glasses met the glare of the fluorescent lighting in the room reflecting it back to the ground and hiding his electric blue irises. She knew he was analyzing her demeanor but she didn't care much about hiding her agitation right now. No, when Nico and the Stolls got back she was going to –

Before she could even finish her thought, a flicker of darkness caught her attention in the corner and she whipped around faster than a speeding bullet. There, forming from the shadows, stood the trio of demigods she was just thinking off.

Nico stood in front of them and collapsed to his knees when he finished pulling everyone through the shadow. He was breathing heavily and patting himself down as if to make sure all of him made the journey successfully.

Behind him, Connor and Travis were taking in deep gasps of breaths themselves though the look of exhilaration on their faces conveyed their excitement. After a brief check themselves to make sure they made it in one piece, they turned to face each other and let out a little cheer before high-fiving each other in congratulations.

"Awesome!" Travis said thrilled.

"We did it!" Connor responded just as happily.

Annabeth, on the other hand, was not pleased.

"What took you so long?! Jason and I have been waiting for you for almost half an hour at this point."

She gave all three demigods her fiercest glare. Both sons of Hermes were suitably chastised and shrugged back behind Nico. The son of Hades on the other hand met her glare with his casual look of indifference. It always bothered her that her glare had such little effect on him compared to everyone else. Even Jason and Percy and Thalia felt the effects of her intimation on occasion.

"We got delayed thanks to these two idiots" Nico said standing up. He pointed his fingers over at the Stolls and watched as both demigods had betrayed looks on their faces. "They decided that stealing a Heavenly Sword from one of the most protected and safe Christian strongholds in the world wasn't enough of a prize and needed to desecrate a tomb in search of something else. They ended up setting off the alarms and we needed to escape."

It took Annabeth a moment to process all that. And then when Nico's words registered in her brain…

"You did WHAT?!" she practically screamed at the two brothers. Both cringed at the level of the shout and even Jason and Nico stepped back from her hostility.

"You risked the mission and our entire relationship with the Angels for a small trophy?! And you destroyed one of their sacred figures burial sites to do it? What the Hades is wrong with you?!"

The two scrambled to answer her talking over one another to pacify her.

"It was such a small thing Annabeth" Travis said.

"They weren't ever going to miss it" Connor piled on.

"It's not like anyone went down there. The entire place was covered in dust and dirt." Travis followed up.

"I doubt they even really know it's missing right now even" Connor finished.

Jason and Nico looked at complete loss over what they were saying and the only reason Annabeth was even able to follow along was due to her higher brain functions and her ADHD being able to process multiple conversations at once.

She knew she had to calm down for a second here. While the Stolls were idiots – _utter morons really_ she corrected herself – and had put the mission at risk she needed more information. She could decide whether or not to stab them later.

Turning to Nico, she ignored the rest of the brothers rambling.

"Did you at least get the sword?" she asked.

Nico nodded and waved a hand at Connor who produced a long, shiny three-foot bastard sword with a white gold hilt and an opaque opal ensconced in the pommel. It seemed to vanish and reappear as Connor moved it. The blade itself was sharp as a razors edge and seemed to be able to cut through event the hardest of diamonds smoothly.

Gingerly, Annabeth took the blade and set it on the table between the two other "swords" the retrieved today. Of the three, it was the first one to actually look like she expected it to.

To the bastard sword's right was the blade she retrieved from England with Hazel. A long Kris sword with a diamond shaped gap through it and spikes on both edges. Excalibur Rapidly her mother had told her. The curves of the blade belied the smaller width of it but making no less deadly than the bastard sword.

On it's left sat the most curious blade if it could even really be called that. It was more like a rod with a sharp edge on once side that could be used to cut someone. Only spanning a foot and a half, the white metal met a hilt of blackest night with a leather grip. There was nothing ornate about this weapon but that didn't surprise her either. She had sent Jason specifically to get this weapon: Excalibur Nightmare. And if the legends about it were true then she had no desire to be cut by it.

Together laying on the table the three swords seemed to glow just a bit brighter. Excalibur's Rapidly, Nightmare and Transparency, the blade Nico and the Stolls retrieved radiated power in the same way the Greeks Celestial Bronze weapons did.

"What exactly are these weapons?" Jason asked stepping up beside her. To her other side Nico shuffled up and gazed down at the swords as well.

"These" Annabeth said in a lecturing tone, "are the Excalibur Fragments. Pieces of the once legendary sword Excalibur wielded by the Once and Future King Arthur Pendragon himself. Forged with magic and alchemy, these are three of the parts that make up the Holy weapon. My mother gave me some preliminary research into these specific pieces."

Stepping closer to the table once more, the daughter of Athena picked Excalibur Rapidly. She thought she could feel the thrumming of the blade and took a moment to swing it around a few times. She blurred incredibly fast as she maneuvered around the room, deftly avoiding the other demigods.

"Excalibur Rapidly" she said excited. "The fragment that enhances the physical speed of anyone who wields it. With this sword as your weapon you could challenge even Hermes himself to a contest of speed and stand a chance at winning."

Taking one last swing she saw in a mirror set up in the room how her body was too quick for her eyes to even register her speed. An afterimage was left behind blurring the vision as she was putting the sword back on the table.

Moving over just slightly she then picked up the bastard sword.

"This is Excalibur Transparency. Wielding this weapon allows the user to turn themselves and the sword completely invisible." She demonstrated just that but disappearing completely from view only to reappear behind Connor and Travis making them jump.

"Or" she continued, "you can just turn the sword invisible." One second Annabeth was standing there pointing the blade at the wall and the next she was emptyhanded looking only as if she was making a fist. "Very useful if you wanted to trick your enemy into thinking you are unarmed."

She walked back to the table and was returning it when she offered her last piece of information on the weapon. "My mother speculated that it was of a similar power threshold as Hades Helm of Darkness. Or at least in terms of invisibility. There is no trace of the wielder at all including smell and noise. Whoever uses the blade is completely disappeared."

As Excalibur Transparency was laid back down Annabeth turned her attention to the last weapon on the table. She couldn't help but eye is skeptically and was hesitant to even grab it. The dark power from the sword was obvious and Annabeth could feel it's reach as close as she was. Nonetheless, she resolved her nerves and reached out for it.

"Excalibur Nightmare" she said reverently, "the Holy Sword of Dreams. Not much is known about this weapon other than it should be used very cautiously." Bringing the sword up to her face Annabeth could see her image in the weapon's reflection.

She was standing above a horde of Devils and Fallen Angels whilst crushing all her tried to reach her. Her face showed a picture of happiness as Percy stood behind her in complete support. She knew she could do anything with her Seaweed Brain beside her.

"Annabeth" Nico said slowly. When she didn't answer immediately, he tried again a bit more forcefully. "Annabeth!"

That was enough to draw her attention away from the images in the blade.

"Right" she said coming back to herself. "With the Sword of Dreams the wielder can manipulate their enemies in both the waking and subconscious realms. This sword can create illusions and invade dreams that even the strongest of beings would have a hard time grappling with. If you were to master this weapon you could master the psychology of any opponent."

Just as carefully as she picked it up, she laid it back down on the table. It was silent as each demigod looked down on the three pieces of history. At least until a loud creaking sound echoed in the room.

Whipping around, Annabeth saw the Stoll brothers trying to make a quiet getaway and growled. She wasn't done with those two yet.

"Don't even think about it" she said harshly. Both demigods froze under to glare and immediately looked contrite. "Now that we have the sword you can tell me what it was exactly you deemed worthwhile to threaten everything for? And you can be sure my mother and by extension Zeus and your father are going to hear about this as well."

Connor and Travis audibly gulped. If it was just their father then they wouldn't have cared. Annabeth knew Hermes probably would have come down and congratulated them on the successful heist if that was the case. Which was why she included both Zeus and her mother in the threat as well. Zeus might not care in the short term but Athena would make it damn obvious just exactly it was those two risked and that would make him angry thus resulting in an angry Hermes. A simple trickledown effect.

Travis looked to Connor for a moment and both sighed heavily. He reached inside his jacket and pulled out a large golden cross that seemed to shine with a warm glow. Annabeth stuck her hand out and Travis gently placed the trophy in her palm.

Upon examination it was obvious this was a sacred object. It didn't seem to possess any sort of power by itself but the unnatural glowing of the gold indicated it might have once long ago. Now it was simply an unusual trinket that held significant religious value.

"Whose tomb did you raid to get this?" she asked finishing her observations.

Both of them just shrugged. "It was difficult to see in the dark but there seemed to be a plaque on top of the tomb. Pete, I think it read but I don't know for sure. Whoever it was hadn't been disturbed for at least a few centuries."

Annabeth had been in the processing of handing the cross back to them as he spoke but quickly pulled back when he finished his answer. Her eyes bulged out of her head at the possible repercussions of their words.

"Pete?" she asked. "As in Peter?"

Connor shrugged again. "I guess. It was just a tomb."

She came very close right then to stabbing him with her drakon-bone sword for such a stupid response.

"Did it never occur to you that they tomb you were raiding just happened to belong to the man WHOSE BUILDING YOU HAD JUST ROBBED!?" she screamed. There was not a doubt in her mind that her voice could be heard all the way out in the woods.

Travis blanched and Connor didn't seem any better.

"OF ALL THE IDIOTIC DECISIONS YOU TWO COULD HAVE MADE YOU WENT AND STOLE THE CROSS OF ST. PETER HIMSELF! I SWEAR TO ALL THE GODS THAT IF YOU LITTLE ROBBERY RUINS MY CHANCING OF GETTING BACK WITH PERCY IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM, I'M GOING TO -"

However, the Stolls never found out what exactly would happen to them if the Church every discovered their crime because in that moment Jason came up behind Annabeth and put his hand over her mouth to prevent her for speaking further. Of course, the muffling only covered some of her tirade but some words still managed to escape.

"I think you two better leave" Nico said quietly. He too joined the restraint of Annabeth by holding her sides to her body and limiting her movement.

They nodded vigorously and started making for the door before stopping and looking back at Annabeth. She had stopped her yelling when it became clear Jason wouldn't let her continue but she gave them her worst, most intimidating glare ever.

"Umm…" Travis said, "can we get that cross back? We did steal it after all"

And that was all it took for Annabeth to break free.

Elbowing Jason in the stomach she managed to pull his arm from her mouth but she was still entrapped between him and Nico. There was a brief struggle between the three demigods but when it became obvious Annabeth couldn't escape them, she had to settle for threats.

"Get out, Travis" she said coldly. "If you value your life at all you will get out of this room and never show your face to me again."

The two boys didn't waste any time is vanishing through the doors though Annabeth got no satisfaction from it.

Her mind ran through a thousand different scenarios coming up with a thousand different solutions after this latest piece of information.

It was highly unlikely that the Angels wouldn't noticed that one of their tombs was raided after everything was done. Those two set off alarms which in turn would force them to do a complete inventory to see what, if anything, was missing and of course the absence of Excalibur Transparency would be noted.

This would in turn mean that they would have to audit for anything else missing and see that the tomb was broken into and the cross was absent as well. She could only hope on that front that the two idiots were right and nobody had been in the tomb for centuries thus leading to an oversight on the cross' disappearance.

Unfortunately, this would still more than likely mean that they would check all their other caches of powerful weapons and objects leading to them noticing the absence of Excalibur's Rapidly and Nightmare as well.

"Vlakas" she cursed aloud. Realizing that Nico and Jason hadn't released her yet she raised an eyebrow at them and they quickly complied.

"What exactly?" Nico asked stepping back from her.

It didn't take long to explain the situation to them and she saw their grimaces over the news.

"We need to move these swords tonight" she finished up with. "If the Church is going to find out about these weapons, we need to remove our presence from them as fast as possible. That means we need to get to Japan tonight instead of tomorrow Nico. I'm sorry."

And she meant it. She knew how much it took for him to shadow travel and he had already used his power to travel to Italy and back today. Normally one international trip a day was his limit but the longer they had these swords the worst the situation could be.

Nico's grimace grew worse if that was even possible but he nodded all the same.

"We'll have to use Mrs. O'Leary to travel to Camp Jupiter first. I don't have the energy to transport all three of us and those three swords directly to Japan. Not without dying at least. Even still I'm probably going to collapse when we get there so you two will be on your own."

Annabeth's mind tried to factor that scenario in and nodded. In her mind though she felt a brief thrill of excitement.

That happening might actually be really good for Annabeth. She would be stuck in Japan with no way home until Nico recovered. And that meant she could find Percy. She might even be able to persuade Nico to give up his address so she could take him there to recover.

Yes, Nico passing out after moving them to Japan would be a best-case scenario for Annabeth.

Outwardly, she looked saddened by this but nodded in reluctant acceptance. Jason did too and reached out to squeeze his shoulder in comfort.

"Alright" she said to summarize the plan. "We travel to Japan tonight to make contact with the Fallen Angels and hand over the swords. I will deal with our contact and Jason will make sure nothing bad happens to Nico after he passes out. After that we will return when Nico's feeling better."

Seeing no better way both of them nodded in agreement.

"Then let's get packed and ready for travel. Nico, drink some Nectar and eat some Ambrosia and try and get whatever rest you can in the next hour; Jason, please make sure all the swords are packed securely so nothing happens to them or us. I have a call to make to ensure everything is up to speed and inform my mother of the change."

Making sure both of them understood the plan, she nodded once to herself and walked out the door ready to explain to her mother of the change.

* * *

Jason watched as Annabeth walked away feeling unsure about things. Her getting angry at the Stolls was completely justified; he too was furious that they would potentially put demigod lives at risk for a trophy. But she only seemed to get angry about how it might impact her chances with Percy.

Which should be zero at this point.

His friend had made it clear that they weren't getting back together if the whole goodbye at Camp Jupiter was any indication and he was pretty sure he'd heard a few of the gods whisper about his betrothed already. He hadn't heard much more about it other than she was considered to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. Jason didn't dare mention this to Annabeth though; especially after seeing what she did to those Devils in California.

He was brought out of his thoughts by a clearing of the throat from Nico.

"You'd best get those swords all set like she said Jason. She's right about how powerful they are. It was tough for me to bring back just one of them along with the Stolls from Italy and now there are three of them. I _am_ going to pass out when we get there from exhaustion. I would have suggested only using Mrs. O'Leary but I doubt she'd have the energy for a straight jump to Japan and she's already done a one too many more shadow travels than she should have today. Just having her take us to Camp Jupiter is pushing her limits."

Jason nodded absently and grabbed a leather clothe from the corner ready to store the weapons away.

It was silent as he worked. Nico was sitting down in his chair munching on some ambrosia, both of them completely lost in thought.

Watching how Annabeth looked with each of those swords, Jason realized just how powerful they really were. His eyes could barely follow her when she swung Excalibur Rapidly and her movements blurred together too fast. He thought he could probably defend against it for a time but at some point, he would grow fatigued and be unable to keep up.

Her assessment on Excalibur Transparency wasn't entire accurate though. She was right about there being no obvious sign of her presence when she disappeared. No smell emitted from her and her movements were completely silent. However, she didn't realize that when she moved, she displaced all the air around her still. Because of that Jason was able to follow her around just as well as if she was wearing her invisibility cap.

The truly menacing moment came when she held Excalibur Nightmare though. He was reminded of her manic cackling and the eerie glow in her eyes as she tortured those Devils in California when she stared into that reflective sword. He had no desire to let that weapon fall into the wrong hands which was why he had reservations about this whole plan in the first place.

"Jason" Nico said when he had finished preparing the swords. Jason turned toward him and saw that he seemed to struggling internally with something before deciding to just come out with it. "Listen to me close alright?"

Jason nodded choosing to remain silent.

"I don't trust Annabeth with this mission"

The son of Jupiter opened his mouth to protest but before he could utter even one sound Nico raised his hand and cut him off.

"I know, I know. Annabeth is your friend and wouldn't jeopardize the mission. I agree with that for the most part. But you also know how smart she is. I have no doubts she's got a hundred different plans running through her head to help make her come out on top. And yes, I mean her specifically and not the mission. The mission's success will factor into this as I have no doubts should anything go wrong, we would all be held responsible but I think she's planning something more. I just don't know what specifically" he trailed off.

He stared at Nico for a minute trying to decide what to think. He felt similar reservations about Annabeth and her recent behavior was not reassuring. Then again, she was getting results which was important for the war effort.

"What do you think she wants then?" he asked Nico at last trying to figure it out. He had a guess but didn't want to voice it first.

Nico snorted and raised an eyebrow. Jason supposed they were on the same page after all.

"Percy" they answer simultaneously.

Jason sighed heavily. Maybe he could convince Piper to talk with her and try and get her to move on with her life. Percy certainly seemed to be.

"What I'm about to tell you remains between us alright?" Nico whispered leaning forward in his chair. He looked around the room a few times in paranoia and didn't seem to care how crazy that made him look.

Jason quickly agreed.

"Percy lives in a city called Kuoh Town. If anything goes bad with this deal tonight, I want you to head straight there. Get Annabeth on a plane first if possible and remind her that her mother and Zeus don't want her in Japan any longer than she has to be. She'll probably be upset but you saw how she was; she'd probably try and chain him to the bed and never let him leave. We can't let that happen."

 _Surely, she hasn't gone that far yet_ Jason thought to himself. But when he looked into those cold, dark eyes of Nico he realized that the son of Hades was serious. And the more Jason thought about it the harder it was for him to think otherwise too.

He nodded.

Nico let out a big sigh and leaned back. He grabbed a canteen of Nectar from his pockets and gave it a swig before nodding.

"You should go and say goodbye to Piper and the other's" Nico said. "I have no doubts Annabeth will want to leave as soon as possible and you don't want to leave without saying farewell."

Jason agreed and quickly left the room leaving Nico and the wrapped-up Excalibur pieces behind.

It was a beautiful day earlier and it seemed to have only gotten better as it progressed. Coming close to noon in New York now, the atmosphere was completely devoid of clouds as birds and pegasi flew all over the skies in joy. He briefly wondered what it would be like to talk to the birds but then he reminded himself of the problems Percy had to deal with when talking to sea creatures and he felt grateful he couldn't.

He strolled from the Big House determined to find his girlfriend. The few full-time campers he passed sent him greetings and salutations in their own special ways. The Hermes campers cheered him as he passed while listening to Travis and Connor no doubt embellish their trip to Vatican City. Even the Ares campers seemed happy to see him with their usual offers for sparring when he had the time.

He had to pass the Arts and Crafts cabin, the Strawberry fields, and the Arena before he found his beautiful girlfriend on her way to the Pavilion for lunch. She looked more gorgeous than ever with her dark tan Native American skin and the Eagle feather she always kept braided in her hair.

Jason remembered vividly when she asked him for one to represent her relationship with him. There had only ever been a few other times he'd been as happy.

She eschewed the normal Camp Half-Blood orange t-shirt in favor of a colorful tie-dye one mixed with all different greens and blues and yellows and purples as she talked with another girl from the Aphrodite cabin. Lacey if he remembered correctly. He only remembered because she was the only Aphrodite camper to wear braces.

He did silently thank the Gods that Drew wasn't here yet as most of the other campers weren't scheduled to come for a few more weeks. He doubted he could stomach her presence today after everything that's happened and is still yet to happen.

"Piper!" he yelled waving a hand to her. She looked around for a quick second before she saw him and gave him a smile.

Gods did he love that smile.

"Hey Sparky" she said walking up to him. Lacey had continued onto to the Pavilion which was probably for the best because Jason wasted no time in kissing her.

"Mhmmm" Piper moaned pleasantly and Jason felt a surge of satisfaction at the noise. There was just something about pleasing a daughter of the Love Goddess that boosted a man's ego.

Breaking away after a few seconds, Jason leaned his forehead down onto hers and watched as her eyes fluttered momentarily in happiness; an emotion he returned.

"What was that for?" she asked regaining her bearings, "and wipe that smirk of your face!"

Jason couldn't help but laugh not even realizing he had smirked.

"I just love you" he told her.

Piper smiled back with those kaleidoscope eyes of her. Every time he looked at her, he felt like she was reading into his soul with those eyes. She was the only one who could read every emotion from him no matter how hard he covered it up and somehow that made it all the more special.

"I love you too" she said. "Now what's all this about?"

And then he remembered just how frustrating it was how she could read his every emotion. Still, he smiled back.

"We just got back from the mission not long ago. Everything was going perfectly until the Stolls' decided that it might be a good idea to take a few extra items and set off the alarms. Now we're going to have to push up the meeting with the Fallen Angels to today and I'll be leaving very shortly again."

Piper let out a huff of frustration. Not that Jason could blame her. They had planned on going out on a date today.

"Idiots" she mumbled though he obviously heard her. Something told him that there was a good chance that Travis and Connor might just be making a fool of themselves at the campfire tonight thanks to a little Charmspeaking.

"When do you leave?" she asked.

Jason looked at his wristwatch and sighed. "In about the next 25 minutes or so."

Piper nodded obviously feeling just as disheartened as he was.

Deciding to make the most of their time left, Jason grabbed her hands and started pulling her away from the Pavilion and towards the amphitheater. He hadn't seen anyone there when he passed it by earlier and he hoped for some privacy with this next part.

She could clearly tell something was wrong with him as she raised an eyebrow in his direction but she didn't say anything. He was grateful for that considering he wanted to talk about Annabeth.

"So, there's something I'd like you to do when you have some time in the next few days if you can" he said awkwardly.

Piper didn't hesitate to nod. "Okay?"

He took a deep breath. "Have you noticed anything strange with Annabeth the best few months? Like her behavior specifically?"

Taking a seat on one of the limestone benches, Piper just looked at him for a minute. Normally she was so expressive but for a few brief seconds she just stared at him like he had three heads.

"Yes, I have" she said at last, "but can you really blame her? She made a mistake when she broke up with Percy and now, he's being forced to marry some woman who he doesn't even know. She's obviously trying to save him from an unsatisfying marriage. Not to mention he's been turned into a monster against his will. Do you really blame her for that?"

Jason winced. He could already tell this conversation was not going the way he hoped it would.

"No, no, of course not" he tried to backpedal. Unsuccessfully by her facial expression. "But I mean, it is kind of her fault."

 _Yup, definitely wrong thing to say_ he thought as she gave him an affronted look before glaring fiercely.

"Her Fault!" she all but yelled. "She made a mistake Jason! One that we both made ourselves or don't you remember our little mist-induced relationship thanks to Hera?" Above them thunder rolled across the sky. "And now Percy's stuck in Japan after being forced to become a monster. None of that was Annabeth's fault!"

"I'm just saying that I don't really think this is healthy for her" he tried to reason. "Percy might be a monster now but from what I've heard from the gods he seems pretty happy over there still. He's moved on. Don't you think that she should do the same?"

Luckily, his words must have made it through as her face and tone softened.

"That's really sweet of you Jason. But I've talked about this with her a few times now and she's really determined to help him and make him a demigod again if she can. She felt awful about the breakup and in a lot of ways she blames herself for everything that's happened. But even if she can't I know she still loves him. I swear I've never felt love so strong before."

This time he managed to hold the wince in. It was kind of insulting to their relationship but he doubted she meant it that way.

"It's just…" he tried to think of the right words without hurting their relationship. He knew that Annabeth was Piper's best friend. "Alright look," he finally said, "Nico mentioned a few things when he was still able to talk to Percy a few weeks ago and I've heard more whispers from the gods. I really think Percy's already found someone else. This Gabriel person, I think. And I saw how much love Annabeth had for Percy when she slaughtered those Devil's in California. This really isn't healthy for her Piper."

Piper blew him off though. "She told me all about that already Jason. Unlike a certain boyfriend I might add" she eyed him angrily. "She knew she went a bit overboard but she got a lot of information out of it and seemed confident she could get Percy. Why are you being so adamant about this whole situation? I thought Annabeth was your friend?"

"She is." He confirmed. "But so is Percy. I don't want either of them to get hurt because of the other. What's going to happen if they finally meet up and Percy is already in another relationship? You heard the stories about what Annabeth did to keep the other girls away from him when they were younger. Does _that_ sound like a solid foundation for a relationship to you? There's a good chance she might actually kill whoever he's with"

"Well isn't that a good thing then?" Piper responded. "I mean, we are about to be at war with the Christians. One less enemy would only help us out."

Jason could hardly believe his ears. Piper, his girlfriend, his amazingly coolheaded girlfriend who was the designated diplomat between the Greeks and Romans, was actually advocating that Annabeth kill Percy's girlfriend or wife-to-be? His face must have shown his shock because she answered his unasked questions.

"Jason, please listen to me ok?"

He nodded still in shock.

"I meant what I said about Annabeth and Percy earlier. She loves him more than anything. It is truly one of the most powerful emotions I've ever experienced from someone and I support her in trying to win Percy back. What do you think is going to happen after the war? Percy's going to stay married to this woman? I seriously doubt that and I know you do too. You should really support this too."

"This isn't just simple love Piper!" Jason said forcefully. "I watched as she methodically tortured those Devils and let Zeke run loose to cause whatever kind of pain he wanted. She was covered in blood when she was done! That sounds more like obsession than love to me"

Piper frowned as she registered that but it didn't seem to overly bother her.

"I'll admit that does sound a bit extreme but she did explain it to me. I haven't seen anything in her emotions that would go to beyond normal love though. You couldn't really tell me you wouldn't kill anyone for information if I was taken away from you?

"C'mon Piper! It's not the same and you know it!" he said frustrated. He couldn't understand why Piper wouldn't see reason here.

"It's exactly the same!" she retorted back just as upset. "I know if anything happened to me there isn't anything in this world that would stop you from saving me. Annabeth feels the same for Percy. Don't you remember a year ago? She practically ran herself ragged trying to find Percy when he was switched with you. And then after Tartarus? They were practically inseparable for those first few weeks."

For every argument Piper made in support of Annabeth, Jason could only see the negatives. Annabeth had killed and tortured to find out anything about Percy. She had run herself to the point of exhaustion many times in her quest to find Percy after his disappearance. And Tartarus wasn't exactly a health spa for demigods either. Nobody really knew what happened down there but those two were very dependent on each other until their breakup. Even afterwards there was still the sense that they needed each other.

Or at least Annabeth needed Percy. Jason remembered that Annabeth either hung around Piper closely in the aftermath of their breakup or had taken to completely secluding herself away from everyone. Other than speaking when she was spoken to or performing her duties as cabin counselor, she pretty locked herself away doing whatever it was daughters of Athena did.

It definitely wasn't healthy and it definitely wasn't good.

But it seemed there was no convincing of Piper of that right now so he did the only thing a man could in these circumstances.

"I'm sorry. You're right. Can you forgive me?" he repeated every man's mantra.

He knew he had lost this argument for now. There would be another time that he could have this conversation with her and he wanted their parting to be on a happy note.

Given Nico's ominous warning earlier and Annabeth's latest behavior he couldn't help thinking something wrong was going to happen. It might be some time before he saw Piper again and he couldn't live with himself if they ended things here on a sour note.

He seemed to have said the right thing though because her glaring lessened and she gave him gave him a small smile.

"I do forgive you Sparky. I know you're just trying to be a good friend but we should really stay out of it. Annabeth and Percy's relationship is between them. All we can do is be there for them, help them out whenever they ask it, and support their relationship. It will all work out, you'll see. I'm not the daughter of Aphrodite for nothing, am I?" he mused.

Jason leaned forward and captured her lips in another soft kiss. He was really going to miss these.

"I hope you're right Pipes" he said pulling away. He couldn't find it in himself to say anything more so he me just pulled her against him and let the afternoon sun shine down upon them.

It wasn't meant to last though.

"Jason!" Nico called out.

Slowly prying himself away from his girlfriend, Jason turned and saw Nico, Annabeth, and Mrs. O'Leary waiting at the edge of the Amphitheater. It seemed it was time to leave.

"Guess you're heading out now" Piper said beside him. He turned and gave her a small peck before walking towards the others.

"I'll be back later Pipes" he said. "We'll go on our date tomorrow."

"I'm going to hold you to that" she chuckled. "Come back soon Sparky. And stay safe! I don't want to have to come to your rescue anytime soon" she teased him.

He laughed and nodded accepting the good jibe for what it was.

Making his way over to the others, everyone was ready to head out. Nico looked to be bursting with energy from all the Ambrosia and Nectar he consumed. Annabeth had a grim soft of expression and had the Excalibur fragments slung over her back. Mrs. O'Leary seemed tired but willing to help them as she gave Jason a lick from her rough tongue.

"Ready?" Annabeth asked.

Jason confirmed and she handed him the bag of swords. He silently admitted to himself he was glad to be the one to carry the weapons.

"Let's head out then. It's just after noon here so it will be just after one in the morning in Japan. My mother said our contact will meet us just outside a city called Kuoh Town. Apparently, the Fallen Angels weren't prepared for the change in plans so we're going to meet up with someone other than the initial contact so be on your guard. I don't know who it is other than a description but it should be quick and then we can leave. Any questions?"

 _Only a thousand_ Jason thought but shook his head no all the same. The gods only told them what they needed to know and something told Jason Annabeth wasn't going to reveal much more than she had.

He made eye contact briefly with Nico and the son of Hades seemed to be in agreement. They'd both watch out for Annabeth just in case.

Seeing that everyone was ready, they all got on Mrs. O'Leary and prepared to travel to Japan.

* * *

It was dark out. Complete opposite from where they just left. The night came on suddenly with a rush of wind and Jason took a deep breath of fresh air as he, Annabeth and Nico came out of the last Shadow Travel.

Shadow Travel. It was such a convenient way to move but it never settled with Jason all that well. From conversations with Percy they were in agreement. While both loved the exhilaration from the travel itself, neither could ever really feel safe as they moved through the realm of their uncle; who was always more than willing to kill sons of Zeus/Jupiter and Poseidon/Neptune in the past.

Nico immediately stumbled as he completed their journey. His body was failing already, just as he predicted it would, and it would only be a minute or just slightly more before the exhaustion overwhelmed him.

Jason took a look around and saw that they were on the edge of a forest with a road running perpendicular to their position. Down below was a very large town that was mostly black. It was eerie with the absence of life aside from the lit lampposts but then Jason remembered that it was past one in the morning. The only people up at this hour were those up to no good and monsters.

Annabeth clucked her tongue as she looked up and down the road. Her fidgeting increased until at last they heard a gentle rumbling grow steadily louder and louder and a single headlight appeared.

"Wait" Nico struggled to say as his eyelids dropped. "I… know… that… soundddd…" he managed to get out before trailing off into soft snores.

His body had finally caught up to his expended energy and if Jason hadn't reached out and grabbed hold of him then he had no doubts Nico would have faceplanted on the asphalt without even waking up.

Annabeth turned around and looked at Nico with confusion before snapping out of it. Jason didn't know what he meant either but if anything, he was now more than ready for whatever was driving their way.

"Quick," Annabeth said to Jason, "let's move him into the cover of the trees. I don't know exactly who's coming but we don't want them to look down upon us with a passed-out member of the team."

Jason wanted to argue with her but she had already grabbed his legs and lifted him up and started dragging him. If he didn't help then Nico was going to wake up with scrapes all over his neck and back and the son of Jupiter didn't really feel like being on the opposite end of one of his temper tantrums. Nico had a bad habit of cracking open the earth whenever he got upset.

In no time at all, Jason and Annabeth managed to get Nico into the cover of the forest and covered him up with some loose branches. It was lucky that he was wearing black clothes as he was able to be shrouded much more safely than if he wasn't.

Getting back out into the street, the two watched as the light got closer and closer until it became obvious that it was a motorcycle driving right at them. Jason shielded his eyes against the brightness of the headlight until the figure finally slowed down and turned off the bike. The engines rumbling died out creating silence between them but the rider left the light on.

Jason took a step back as the mysterious figure finally removed the helmet he wore and revealed the face of somebody who looked slightly crazed with a disturbing smile. His red eyes flashed between Annabeth and Jason and his smile grew wider as he introduced himself.

"Freed Sellzen, my dear" he said grabbing Annabeth's hand in a courteous manner. He made to kiss the back of her hand but Annabeth ripped it out of his looking at him with disgust. Jason didn't blame her.

"Ahh" Freed continued "feisty. I always did enjoy the ladies who had a backbone." His eyes bore deeply into Annabeth then as he took a deep breath. "And you smell absolutely… divine."

Jason wasted no time in getting in front of Annabeth although she didn't look scared of the man. It was probably her pride that prevented her from backing away from Freed but even Jason could admit that this guy didn't look normal. Or even safe for that matter.

To avoid Freed from overhearing that conversation, Jason switched to his basic understanding of Greek. He wasn't great as his mind was geared more towards Latin but with Piper's help and his ancestry, he was able to hold small conversations. Annabeth was an expert so she'd get what he was trying to say and talk at his level.

"Annabeth, is this wise?" he said indicating the bundle of swords on his back.

"No choice" was her answer. He knew it was true but giving these weapons to this guy was absolutely the last thing Jason wanted to do right now.

For his part, Freed looked back and forth between the two in surprise. That, however, quickly gave way to anger.

"I've heard that before" he hissed upset. "Who are you two!? More flaming homosexuals like those two faggots I dealt with a few weeks ago!"

Jason and Annabeth looked at each other quickly before turning back to Freed. Neither wanted to take their eyes off of this guy and it looked like he was going to explode any second.

"Well!" he roared. "Answer ME!"

This time Jason couldn't help but take a step back. He reached his hand down to his waist where his gladius was sheathed and placed his hand on it ready to draw on a second's notice.

Annabeth, on the other hand, took a step forward and answered.

"Neither of us are gay, although why that even matters is irrelevant. Are you the delegate from the Fallen Angels?"

Freed eyed her suspiciously. "All faggots need to burn in the pits of hell" he said passionately. "No gay little fucks deserve to even breath the same air as us and need to be put down immediately. The last time I heard words like that I had to fight two queers; one with midnight black hair and another with sunshiny blonde. I was unable to send them to God for judgement for their sins but I will get them when I next see them."

Jason didn't make any outward acknowledgments but it seemed pretty obvious who this guy was talking about. Two boys, who were obviously in a relationship together, with black and blond hair and spoke Greek? It didn't take a child of Athena to put two and two together.

Said child of Athena obviously had put it together but seemed to push the conversation along and obfuscate things.

"I'm not sure who you're talking about" Annabeth said, "but as for us, we were talking in Greek. It was once quite prominent and the Orthodox church still promotes it with the scripture."

The son of Jupiter had no idea if that was true but nodded in agreement to help sell the story. Pretending they came from another branch of the Church instead of being demigods seemed the wiser course of action here as it would keep the Gods in the dark just a little bit longer.

Freed too must have sensed some truth in her words being he nodded.

"Yes, I had heard the Greek Orthodox still had some outdated and ignorant practices. They should have converted to the righteous path of the Catholics and Rome long ago. Nevertheless, yes, I am the contact."

Annabeth nodded. "Good. I am Sophia Mackenzie and this is Roman Dard, my associate."

"A pleasure" Freed said finally letting his earlier outburst go. He returned to his creepy self and now more than ever Jason didn't want to give up these swords. "Let's continue with the transaction hmm?"

"Yes. Lets. Roman, give Freed the pack" Annabeth said in Jason's direction. It took him a minute to register her name for him but he decided that it was much better than giving his true name.

Hesitantly, Jason undid the leather wrapping from his back and brought it forward to Freed. The man's eyes grew wide with lust as he grabbed the leather from Jason and undid the straps revealing the swords to the world once again.

Freed looked as giddy as a school boy and grabbed each of the swords one at a time marveling at their beauty. Even Jason couldn't help but marvel. At least until his thoughts ended abruptly with the maniacal laughing of Freed.

"Oh yes!" Freed said between laughs. "Yes, with these I can do it all. Valper is going to be so pleased! Now no devils will be able to stand in our way. I will kill them all and bathe the world in their blood!"

 _He's a mad man_ Jason thought. He knew this was a bad idea. He knew it the second he picked up Excalibur Nightmare from the church in Turkey that nothing good was going to come from this. He regretted taking part in this mission all together.

Without another word, Freed jumped back on his motorcycle, ignited the engine, and screeched away from Jason and Annabeth leaving them all alone on the deserted street.

Jason tried to reach out and stop him but the man was already too far away for Jason to do anything by the time he reacted.

"Fuck!" he cursed. Jason rarely cursed but he felt this was definitely one of those acceptable times to do so. Whipping around on Annabeth he just saw her smiling happily. "What the Hades are you smiling for?!" he yelled. "We just gave some extremely powerful weapons to a lunatic!"

Annabeth seemed to come out of her thoughts at his words although the smile never disappeared.

"We completed the mission Jason. The agreement between the Gods and the Fallen Angels was clear. We get the swords and transport them over to one of their contacts here and in return their leader will wage war and kill the devils for us. We upheld our end of the bargain and now it's their turn."

"Annabeth!" he screamed unable to calm down. He felt the wind whip around him in agitation but he couldn't find it in himself to stop. "That guy was crazy! You saw him! He doesn't care about anything and is going to probably kill everyone and anyone who gets in his way. And we just enabled him to do it!"

The son of Jupiter could hardly believe everything. Annabeth looked pleased about what he just said.

"I have no doubts that guy will kill every devil he comes across and I'll be glad when he does. It will only make the war all that much better for us."

His eyes bulged. Was every demigoddess he talked to today going off the deep end? Jason was Roman; he knew the value of duty and obedience but this whole situation was completely and utterly wrong. Percy had specifically come here to prevent a war and while Jason agreed with the gods that it was probably prudent to knock some of the devils around for killing Percy and then turning him into one of their own, that didn't mean he wanted innocent people to get caught in the crosshairs. And that Freed Sellzen guy looked like he would kill anyone who got in his way on his quest to kill every devil.

"And what about Percy?" he asked her. "He's a devil now too. Freed isn't going to hold back on him because you ask him not to."

At that Annabeth's smile turned into a harsh scowl. Jason found himself stepping back from the intimidating look.

"Nobody touches Percy" she growled out softly. "He's my boyfriend and anyone who wants him will have to go through me"

It was silent after her threat. Jason didn't know what to say to that. He didn't understand how Piper couldn't recognize this as being unhealthy but he also knew Annabeth wasn't somebody to take lightly either. He doubted she'd listen to reason any more than Piper did.

"Come on" he said at last. He turned away to get Nico free and head to the hotel they booked for the night before they'd head back to the camps tomorrow.

It wasn't until he had crouched down to get the last few sticks off of Nico that he realized Annabeth hadn't moved to assist him. He glanced up at her and saw her grey eyes look at him fiercely; the gears in her head obviously working overtime at the moment.

"Annabeth?" he questioned. "I need your help with Nico. Come over here and give me a hand."

Annabeth didn't acknowledge him for another minute before she finally shook her head.

Jason felt a deep pit settle in his stomach at that. A natural gust of wind blew between the three demigods then, whipping their clothes and hair all over the place. They were on opposite sides of the road and Jason knew he had to keep an eye out for Nico which put him at a disadvantage.

"Annabeth?" he said somberly. Nico's earlier warning flitted through his head.

"I'm sorry Jason but I'm not going back with you." She said at last. Her eyes seemed to change right then as the darkness of night made their grey a hollow black.

"Don't do this Annabeth" he said softly, "you know your mother and the other gods don't want you here. It's not good for the mission. Help me with Nico and then we'll head on to the airport and hop the next flight home."

Annabeth smiled at that. It was extremely disconcerting for Jason.

"Don't you see though Jason? I am home. Percy… he's here in Japan somewhere. He's my home. And I know he needs me. I won't leave him to this fate anymore. I will guide him and keep him protected and safe."

With each passing word Jason knew that Annabeth had lost it. Percy was one of the strongest and most powerful demigods he knew. Easily as powerful as Jason himself was even if he had died and was resurrected. Annabeth might have helped keep them alive on their quests but Percy had proven time and time again he could do just as well on his own. This was just delusion to the highest extreme talking.

"Percy will be alright Annabeth" he tried to reason. "He's been working hard for the gods and this is exactly where they want him. We need to get back to camp as you know that where the gods need you." He hoped playing up on her hubris might help.

Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite effect.

"I am needed here!" she said angrily. "Percy's been turned into a monster Jason! One of those filthy devils corrupted my sweet Seaweed Brain. I will not let that stand just as I know the gods and Percy won't either! I will find him and we will be united at last and then we will take our revenge against those scum!"

Annabeth grew steadily worse with her speech. Her glare intensified and she was jabbing a pointed finger at Jason as if lecturing him. Her hair grew wild with the natural breezes that blew. Yet through it all, all Jason could look at were her dark grey, almost black eyes. That manic quality she had when she tortured those devils returned and Jason knew there was only one way to stop her right now.

"You leave me no choice then Annabeth. I'm sorry it's come to this" he said. He gently rested the sleeping Nico on the ground and stood up only to be met with Annabeth's drakon-bone sword on this throat. He didn't even have time to draw his own gladius.

"No Jason. I'm the one who's sorry. I'm sorry it came to this point. I can't have you getting in my way now. Return to Camp and inform them that I've remained behind. I need to save my Percy and nobody is going to stop me now."

"Annabeth plea-"

He didn't even get a chance to say anything else before he felt her sword hilt slam into his head and he faded to darkness.

* * *

Jason woke to his body shaking. His head throbbed in agony and his back flared in pain from sleeping on something hard.

"Get up sleeping beauty. I see last night didn't go as planned." A voice said sarcastically beside him.

"Shut up" he slurred out struggling to open his eyes. The sun shone down and managed to hit his face just right to be an annoyance.

"Come on Jason, we need to get out of here."

Finally managing to open his eyes, he sat up to see the face of Nico looking down on him stoically. They were in a forest just off a street with cars flying by.

"What happened?" he asked groggily.

"I was hoping you might be able to answer me that" Nico said giving him a hand up. Jason's body was sore but it felt good to stretch his muscles.

Jason struggled for a minute trying to think about what happened.

They had arrived and then Nico passed out just as a motorcycle was about to pull up. They hid him in the trees before talking to this guy who turned out to be absolutely bonkers. Jason went and got Nico ready to head to the hotel before…

"Oh shit" he said finding himself cursing again. Nico looked at him curiously.

"We need to find Percy" Jason said grimacing. He was not looking forward to that conversation.

"We have a serious problem."

* * *

 **AN:** Hello everyone! I know it's been a while but life has been busy. Finished buying a house, had to deal with internet issues, helped family move, and then I came into my busy season at work and didn't have time. But I'm back with the next chapter. An interlude chapter so no Percy this time but I think you'll still find this enjoyable.

Now a couple of points with regards to this chapter. First, somebody PMed me claiming that I had serious problems with gay people because of how I portrayed Freed a couple of chapters back. Rest assured I don't have a single care what anyone's sexual orientation is. This is just Freed's character and I think is a fairly decent portrayal of dxd canon. It's obviously not perfect and I've changed some things but he didn't have an actual gay character like Nico and Will in DxD so I like to think what I wrote would at least be in line with something he might do.

Next, I actually like Jason and Piper. Both as individual characters and as a couple. They're not Percabeth by any means but I'm not like a lot of others who just hate the relationship on principle. With Jason's POVs you're obviously going to get his happy relationship with Piper in there and I found myself enjoying writing it. By no means will he overtake the story. But I think his POV will be one I write again in the future along with Percy, Rias, and Annabeth. Maybe not so much Nico's but I haven't decided that.

And lastly, Annabeth. Annabeth finally has a chance to find Percy and she's going to take it 10/10 times. If she spent weeks/months trying to figure out where Percy disappeared to for HoO then I figure she's going to do the same thing here. Only with the delusion that she is the only thing that can help/save Percy. I tried to take events in PJO canon to support it (i.e. Annabeth stalking him in SoM and finding him in school before heading to camp, scaring other girls away from dating him so he'd finally ask her out - PJO bronze dragon, Annabeth getting all pissy about Rachel & later Reyna trying to get all up on him) and twist it to something some might consider to be stalkerish/unhealthy. Her yandere tendencies are becoming more obvious for others to see now - cough Nico & Jason cough - but not everyone realizes it yet. Piper, being the daughter of love, only sees how much Annabeth loves Percy, not the completely crazy methods she uses to achieve it. And Piper hasn't seen Percy since he's said goodbye where he was still conflicted about his feelings for Annabeth (between love & hate) so her supporting her friend's desire for a relationship seemed logical.

So how was the chapter? Good? Awful? I'm a terrible person who needs to write better? How were Annabeth and Jason and Nico? Tell me your thoughts in a review if you have the time. I'd love to hear from you all and see how things have progressed.

Thank you all for reading and I hope to hear from you in a review.

Stormwreckin


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